The experiences listed below are pre-approved for the Distinction in Leadership and can be completed at any time after you have signed up for the River Hawk Experience Distinction (RHED) program.

  • Executive Board: Serve on the Executive Board for a student club or organization for 1 year (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, public relations officer, general manager, etc.)
  • Student Government: Serve in an elected student government role and on a minimum of two committees for 1 year.
  • Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Leadership Laboratory: Complete the ROTC Leadership Laboratory with a titled role.
  • Leadership in Motion Council: Complete 1 year as a selected member of the council, facilitating a minimum of 3 training sessions.
  • Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) National Leadership Honor Society: Apply to and participate in ODK.
  • Transportation Leadership Position: Undergo extensive training and certification and work as a Transportation Coordinator or Shift Supervisor.
  • River Hawk Scholars Academy (RHSA) Student-Led Focus Groups Peer Facilitator: Lead focus groups on campus.
  • RHSA Peer Leader: Serve in a mentor role for a RHSA first year for 1 year.
  • RHSA Team Leader: Mentor and coach RHSA Peer Leaders, work with RHSA staff in leading program and represent RHSA at meetings and events.
  • Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) Ambassador Program: Serve in an ambassador role for OMA programs for 1 year.
  • Undergraduate Admissions Campus Tour Guide: Work as a campus tour guide.
  • Orientation Leader: Lead Orientation programs for incoming freshmen.
  • College of Engineering Student Alumni Ambassadors: Support the growth and development of the Francis College of Engineering.
  • Family Orientation Leader: Work as a Family Orientation leader in a full time capacity for 1 summer.
  • Living Learning Community Mentor: Serve as a LLC mentor for 1 year.
  • Pair-Up Program:Participate in Pair-Up, a multicultural friendship program, for 1 year.
  • Leaders in Action via Engage at UMass Lowell (UML): Leaders in Action is a dynamic and interactive experience that will help you develop a stronger sense of self, build confidence in your leadership abilities, all while having fun. Designed to help students navigate through the complexity of understanding who you are and how that effects the type of leader you become.
  • The Merrimack Valley Housing Partnership (MVHP): Assist in training seminars in the emerging field of homeownership education.
  • Community Placement: Work with a nonprofit or government agency in the Lowell area.
  • Manning Leaders Council: Serve as a liaison between students and Manning School Leadership.
  • Student Peer Advisor in Biomedical Engineering Dept.: Communicate with DifferenceMaker on behalf of student advisee teams. Work in a project management role to set budgets and weekly agendas, and ensure deadlines are met.
  • Community Leadership Project/ Position: Work with a for-profit organization in a community leadership opportunity or position. 
  • Resident Advisor: Full-time students who live in the residence halls and are each responsible for a particular floor of residents.
  • TAP Peer Ally: Guide new transfer students by being a consistent source of outreach and support. Gain leadership and mentorship experience.
  • Entrepreneurship & Leadership LGST Course in Belfast, Northern Ireland: Explore and critique a range of leadership theories and practices via engagement with local communities, political decision makers, businesses, and non-Governmental organizations. 
  • Honors Student Leadership Circle member: You will be an intricate part of an extensive partnership, all leading to strengthening the Honors College and providing a service so students have more opportunities during their time at UML and beyond.
  • College Ambassador (all colleges at UML): This is a volunteer service opportunity where you represent your specific college to prospective students, their parents, and our alumni.
  • UML Co-op Experience: A full-time paid position that combines classroom learning with real-world experience.
  • Class Project: An individual or group project specifically related to the Distinction completed during a UMass Lowell (UML) class (that is NOT being used as a course requirement for the Distinction).
  • Faculty-led Thesis Research: Complete your project/paper/experience as part of a team, with a partner, or as a solo endeavor with the support of your mentor or faculty member.

Option: Students may propose a custom-designed experience:

  • Submitted by student to reflect their individual experiences
  • Must meet at least half of the Distinction's learning outcomes
  • Individual request approval is managed by the RHED committee members