Research & Service Leadership Symposium

RSLS Benefits

Why Should You Present at the RSLS?

In addition to joining the entire college for an exciting day of presentations and an evening of celebrations, by participating in the Research and Service Leadership Symposium, you will gain many valuable skills and benefits.

The Perks

Here is a short list of the perks of developing and presenting a project at the RSLS:

• Share & Implement Your Ideas
• Win Awards
• Gain Confidence in Public Speaking
• Earn Course Credit
• Transcript & Graduation Recognition
• Build Your Resume, Portfolio & Transfer Applications
• Work with Mentors & Peers
• Create & Get Involved in Campus Community
• Network on Campus & Beyond
• Build Interdisciplinary Projects
• Celebrate Your Achievements

Awards & Recognition

Looking to elevate your learning? Aspire to achieve through the RSLS.

• Win the Judge's Award: Earn recognition across campus; Earn a certificate of achievement & $100 per winning group member.
• Win the Viewer's Choice Award: Impress and inspire your peers to rise to the top; receive a certificate of achievement and an additional prize.
• Earn Course Credit: Enroll for 1 unit of Independent Study per quarter
• Transcript Recognition: Receive a notation of your participation each year on your transcript automatically. RSLS travels with you!
• Graduation Recognition: Wear the RSLS colors by flaunting cords during graduation to show your achievement. All graduates who plan to walk can walk with pride!
• Portfolio Development: Create a project for your personal, academic, or professional portfolio. Share your RSLS project page on Canvas with universities, future employers, or clients.
• Build Your Resume: Add your RSLS project and participation into your resume for internships and job applications.
• Transfer Applications: Set yourself apart as a campus leader in your transfer application essays! Write about your RSLS project and participation in the Symposium to show your skills.
• Network on Campus: Use the Symposium to make your project visible to campus groups and leaders. Implement your project with campus support.
• Launch Your Project with the BIC: Take your project to the next level with the Foothill Business Innovation Challenge (BIC).
• Network in the Community: Connect with community leaders through our partnership with the eRotary Club of Silicon Valley, and share your Service project on a local, national, and International scale.

Develop Critical Skills

Of all the benefits, at the top is the ability to develop and practice the skills desired by universities and future employers, as well as those needed for life-long success.

Refer to the list below for "desirable skills" you gained from your participation in the RSLS:

• Gain confidence in public speaking by presenting at a university-level conference.
  
• Learn to propose, plan, develop, and implement a long-term project.
• Refine your research skills through in-depth investigation and project-based learning.
• Strengthen your written communication skills through workshops on proposal writing and presentation material development. 
• Work with mentors to access expertise and gain knowledge in your discipline or major.
• Collaborate with peers in a team setting: benefit from diverse viewpoints, expand your knowledge on a topic with peer input; learn to skillfully navigate the challenges of group projects
• Hone your ability to network on campus and in the community
• Communicate effectively with a large audience to share and implement your goals.
• Build interdisciplinary projects that show your understanding of complex issues and problem-solving for the real world.

Need Resume, Application, Transfer, or Interview Guidance?

Once you've completed the RSLS and begin applying for transfer, internships, jobs, or scholarships, reach out to the RSLS team for support: rsls@fhda.edu. You can also visit our tutors in the LRC Tutoring Centers.