Western's Office of Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion invites you to apply as a 2024-25 host for the Black Leadership University Experience (Western B.L.U.E.)

Western is committed to creating an inclusive, diverse, and equitable campus. We aspire to empower and support Black students throughout their university journeys, so they are confident and prepared to embark on successful and fulfilling careers.​ With this in mind, we are excited to launch the Western Black Student Leadership University Experience (Western B.L.U.E.) program.  

Western B.L.U.E. will provide paid part-time leadership experiences for 20 Black students. The experiences will be funded by the university and hosted by organizations in the London area (including Western). Each experience is valued at $6,300 for the part-time commitment over the 5-month period. Students will be given the opportunity to work on a chosen challenge independently alongside a dedicated mentor who will provide the student with ongoing supervision and feedback.

The program’s key objectives include:

• To demonstrate the passion, talent and knowledge of Black student leaders in the community and instill a spirit of community giving across campus
• To help Black students develop transferable skills through work-integrated learning and community partnerships
• To create meaningful income-earning opportunities for Black students
• To develop a strong network of Black student leaders who can offer guidance and mentorship to future program participants

For questions or inquiries, please email westernblue@uwo.ca.

Information for Employers (Applications Now Open):

Requirements of host sites include:

• Identify an exciting challenge for a Western B.L.U.E. participant to work on independently
• Provide a safe and inclusive workplace and complete Western’s Anti-Racism online module prior to the start of the experience
• Assign a dedicated mentor who will provide the student with ongoing supervision and feedback
• Host the student in-person up to 15 hours/week from November 2024 – March 2025
• Provide the student with a workspace and any other required tools and resources (e.g., laptop, software)
• Help the student develop 4-6 learning goals at the start of the experience
• Participate in mid-point and final check-ins with the university

Please note that submission of a challenge does not guarantee that you will be matched with a student.

Deadline to apply as a host:  Originally August 19, 2024, Extended to August 26, 2024

Information for Students (Applications starting in Fall 2024):

Responsibilities

• Students must be willing to commit 15 hours/week to this program between November to April
• Demonstrate the necessary leadership and problem-solving skills required to tackle the chosen challenge independently
• Aim to achieve 4-6 learning goals that will be identified at the start of the experience
• Participate in mid-point and final check-ins with the university
• Students are also expected to attend two career workshops and one networking event per semester

Eligibility

• Must be a full-time student at Western and expect to retain full-time student status for the duration of this appointment
• Has previously demonstrated leadership in the classroom, through extracurriculars, work or within their community

Process and Key Dates

August 26, 2024: Deadline for host site applications

September 24, 2024: Drop-in session for students at Weldon Library Community Room, ​Room 128; students interested in the program are welcome to drop by to learn more or to ask questions (no registration required)

September 29, 2024: Deadline for students to apply

Early October 2024: Student applications will be evaluated by Western’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI); selected students will participate in an interview with the site and member of the Office of EDI

November 2024 – March 2025: Students spend 15 hour/week in-person at the host site working on the challenge identified