Towson University and Baltimore County Public Library today announced two free workshops for elementary-aged students in November. TU students in the Tigers Lead program designed, developed and will lead the participants at the Towson branch through programming, which will include maker activities and physical challenges to build teamwork. Each activity has leadership lessons embedded into them.

“It has been my absolute pleasure to work alongside the emerging leaders participating in Towson University's Tigers Lead program. This capstone project is a shining example of the power of collaboration,” says Brian Wickman ’11, Towson branch manager. “Working with these TU students and seeing their commitment to developing ideas with community feedback in mind has not only bolstered the connection between the Towson branch and Towson University but has ultimately fostered a true sense of community connectedness around this project.”

Tigers Lead is a certificate leadership development program completed in three phases that guides students in discovering themselves as a leader through interactive workshops, hands-on experiences and community building. Designing and leading the workshops at the Towson branch of the library is the culminating experience where the students put their leadership skills into practice. To develop the workshops, the students picked a theme (superheroes) and interviewed staff at public schools within the Towson area, including Hampton Elementary and West Towson Elementary to develop curriculum that will benefit elementary school students.

“We hope that this experience not only benefits TU students in Tigers Lead but also in the community,” says Shemiah Dickens, coordinator of student leadership and the Tigers Lead program at TU. “This group has explored and researched several different dynamics of leadership and what it means to be a leader within the community. We hope that the elementary school students who participate in the program will get a sense of how excited Tigers Lead students are to share what they’ve learned and teach some leadership skills along the way.”

The workshops are for second to fifth grade students, and all are welcome, free of charge.

“As leaders of our organization, we encourage branch managers to build partnerships within their communities, gaining firsthand insight into our neighbors' needs while sharing the library’s resources. We are thrilled to collaborate with Towson University in many ways, including the Tigers Lead program,” says BCPL CEO Sonia Alcántara-Antoine. “This initiative exemplifies how we can support the next generation of leaders by providing access to the library’s resources, services and spaces. Together, we are working toward our vision of creating a more inclusive and connected Baltimore County.”

For information about the workshops, please contact Shemiah Dickens at .

For media inquiries, please contact Jamie Abell at .

About Towson University
Towson University is Maryland’s university of opportunities. With more than 150 years of experience pushing possibilities, TU is a nationally recognized leader in inclusive excellence, social mobility, research and discovery. As the largest university in greater Baltimore, TU’s momentum is always accelerating, with more than 20,000 students and 100 bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in the liberal arts and sciences and applied professional fields. Located amid one of the East Coast’s cultural and economic epicenters, TU is a beacon and powerful catalyst in the Mid-Atlantic, partnering with hundreds of businesses and organizations, impacting communities and fueling change. TU meets the holistic needs of each student to achieve success, a result of a deeply inclusive culture with a focus on equity among all students, faculty and staff.

About Baltimore County Public Library
Baltimore County Public Library has been an anchor in the community since 1948 and continues to grow and evolve to meet the needs of Baltimore County residents. Today, its 19 branches are safe zones, civic centers, technology hubs and spaces for ideas and learning. Baltimore County Public Library has offerings for the entire family to explore, learn, create and connect.