Can I be a full-time student at my high school or college and participate in OLI at the same time?
Yes! The Ozark Leadership Institute is non-residential and designed to be participated in after school hours anywhere in the country. The program is extremely flexible to accommodate busy extracurricular commitments, as well. The goal is for your participation in OLI to improve your perspective and enhance your efforts in other areas of life! Apply Today!
Do I need to have experience with Camp Ozark and Camp OTX to participate?
No. Students with and without this experience are accepted into the program. We have had students without experience at Camp Ozark and Camp OTX not only participate but later serve as OLI Student Interns! We encourage you to apply and share the opportunity with your friends. If you want to learn more about the program and connect with our staff, please reach out and contact us.
Do I have to join all the webinars live as they happen?
No. All webinars will be recorded and made available online for you to view as you’re able. We designed the program this way, so you would not have to choose between participation in OLI and your current extracurricular commitments. Many students watch and respond to the webinars after they have been released live.
Will I have a lot of homework?
No, you won’t have a lot of homework. OLI Fellows are expected to write brief reflections on Webinars and Leadership Labs, along with thank-you notes to guest speakers. Additional resources are provided for students to read, and watch based on their interests. We worked with families who have busy high schoolers in designing these expectations, and we’ve continued to create a “workload” that is realistic, un-burdensome, and worth the effort, with a strong return on investment.
Are there tests and quizzes?
No, there are no assessments on the material presented throughout the year! As mentioned above, there are brief reflections for each assignment, and additional activities and resources available. Writing main takeaways concisely helps students process and retain what they’re learning together. Fellow’s participation is tracked on a completion basis to pursue the graduation requirement and encourage students to make the most of the opportunity!
Will participating in OLI help my college resume?
Yes, and it will help your college mindset and experience as well. Elite universities seek students who are credentialed leaders in their spheres of influence, who have developed critical thinking and cultural engagement skills, and who have sought out transformative, perspective-shaping experiences. Our program is designed for our participants to reap these exact kinds of benefits. Beyond our unique Christian leadership curriculum, our students will be challenged to consider their sense of purpose in the world by current leaders in business, medicine, law, politics, and elsewhere. Each program graduate will become an Ozark Leadership Institute Commissioned Leadership Fellow.
How is this opportunity funded?
OLI is made possible by a dual structure of student tuition and funding from generous partners! We seek to provide the highest quality experience to our fellows as they prepare for college & beyond. It takes a team to effectively equip students and we are grateful to partner with Christ in this perspective-shifting work! If you, your company, or your church are interested in partnering with us to equip the next generation of Christ-centered leaders, please contact us or visit our giving page. We look forward to connecting with you!