C. RODGER WILSON LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

The C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference (CRWLC) as it is presently known, began as the Undergraduate Leadership Conference implemented by Kappa Alpha Psi®’s 16th Grand Polemarch, C. Rodger Wilson. The first Undergraduate Leadership Conference was held on August 24, 1961, as part of the Golden Anniversary Grand Chapter Meeting in Indianapolis, IN. 56 Undergraduates from 51 different chapters were in attendance.

In direct relationship to the conference, “C. Rodger”, as he was affectionately known, coined a phrase in 1957, which we still use today as one of our principle themes, “Training for Leadership”. C. Rodger realized that the Fraternity needed a formalized system by which it could emphasize the theme. It was under this model that the conference was born as a national program in the undergraduate interest. This program would be a school of leadership training and the curriculum would be planned to demonstrate the techniques of leadership and to stimulate the desire to become leaders and to aid them to become better Fraternity men. More specifically, the curriculum would include professional aspects of leadership, scholarship, chapter organization, pledge training, alumni relations, Fraternity songs, history, law, and traditions. Although not initially included in the original plans, Guide Right (the Fraternity’s program to serve our youth) eventually became a part of these leadership programs as well.

Initially, the Undergraduate Leadership Conference was held as a national conference located at one venue on an undergraduate campus, today, the CRWLC is held annually in each Province with the same goal in mind, but now has expanded to educate and train both Alumni and Undergraduate members with professional aspects to effectively execute individual chapter procedures.