ECLIPSE Leadership Initiative

Founded on the ideas of Collaborative Leadership and Interprofessional Education within the field of health, ECLIPSE is designed to help students gain skills in each of our pillars; communication, teamwork, roles, and values, through practice and reflection. By working collaboratively and interprofessionally (multiple disciplines present), our future health leaders can be more intentional and improve patient and community health outcomes.

Our Mission: To foster students’ abilities to become leaders within and beyond our communities through diverse, student-centered, collaborative, and interprofessional experiences, in purpose for health.

Our Values: Collaborative Leadership and Interprofessional Education are at the core of leadership in diverse health-related professions. We believe that self-reflection and self-discovery contribute to shaping adaptive leaders’ ability to perform effectively in various contexts. We value health-related leaders who positively impact those they serve by:

• Understanding that roles and responsibilities evolve and fluctuate
• Working independently and in teams
• Communicating effectively and responsibly with diverse individuals
• Recognizing values and ethics to maintain mutual respect

Our Vision: Through practiced leadership as a collaborative effort, ECLIPSE graduates will be unique assets to diverse health-related professions as they perform with the purpose of improving the lives of others.

As a member of ECLIPSE, you are part of a community within the School of Health Sciences and can learn from peers, staff, faculty, and professionals - in purpose for health.

Through workshops, service and continuous reflection, ECLIPSE encourages you to engage in self-discovery and learn more about who you are and the impact you can make as a leader in your field. ECLIPSE rewards you for what you are already planning on doing (such as attending a lecture, volunteering, or working on a group project in a class) and you earn points as you reflect on these experiences. The opportunity to move up levels and showcase experiences in your leadership ePortfolio will boost your resume and help you to stand out as a leader on campus and in your future career. ECLIPSE has monthly meetings to help you practice skills in each of our pillars and organizes activities for students and mentoring groups. Additionally, our ECLIPSE Activities Board plans a lot of engagement opportunities for participants including our annual bonfire, holiday events, community service, and professional development workshops.

What does participation in ECLIPSE look like? 

• Attend three of four ECLIPSE class meetings each semester. 
  • Each participant registers for either IPE 1000/1010, IPE 2000/2010, IPE 3000/3010, or IPE 4000/4010
  • ECLIPSE classes are zero credit hours, but show up on your transcript as “S” Satisfactory or “U” Unsatisfactory
  • You must remain active in ECLIPSE to receive a “S” 
  • We will work with those who have a course/work conflict
• Meet four times a semester with your peer mentor group (assigned upon entering the program).
• Submit four reflections a semester for your involvement on and off campus about the leadership skills you are building around communication, teamwork, roles/responsibility, and values/ethics to earn points towards the next level in ECLIPSE.
• Meet individually once a semester with the ECLIPSE program coordinator to review your progress in the program and gain access to resources.
• Develop an ePortfolio throughout the program that becomes a digital resume to track your leadership journey and to share with future employers and graduate programs.
• Participate in a semester-long Community Health Impact Project in your final year of the program with a group of students from different health majors, in partnership with a health-focused community organization or initiative.
• Stay involved in ECLIPSE throughout your entire time as an OU student and gain access to resources, such as research and service opportunities to help you grow as a confident, future leader in health.

Note: If you are a transfer student or were not able to join your first year at OU, you are able to join ECLIPSE and possibly move up levels based on your previous involvement. Contact [email protected] to learn more.

• Learn skills necessary to be successful in your future career, including: interprofessional roles and responsibilities, effective communication skills, the importance of teamwork, and the ability to recognize and lead with your values. 
• Discover your leadership traits through collaboration, understanding and breaking down bias, self-assessment and reflection, and develop an interprofessional leadership ePortfolio.
• Practice and build skills, qualities, and aptitudes that are essential to make you stand out and be competitive in health graduate programs and the workplace.
• Get matched with a Peer Mentor group to meet new, diverse people who have similar passions as you and might even share some of the same classes.
• Gain access and connections to resources such as career coaching, research opportunities, community service, scholarships, jobs, and more to help you be successful in your collegiate journey.

Important dates for the Fall 2024 semester to be announced.

“In ECLIPSE, we learn a lot about how to improve our leadership skills now to better prepare us for our future as healthcare professionals. It is an awesome program that has led me to great relationships with people of so many different backgrounds and opportunities that I would not have pursued if it wasn’t for ECLIPSE. I LOVE ECLIPSE!”
- Sofia Mansour, Health Sciences (Pre-health Professional Studies)

“ECLIPSE has connected me with students that share my interests. We encourage each other on career-related requirements, but we also check on each other as friends.”
- Sarah Richards, Health Sciences (Pre-health Professional Studies)

“Not only does ECLIPSE teach you great leadership skills, it also teaches you great ethics, making you a stronger candidate for med school or dental school. ECLIPSE is a place where you can be yourself.”
- Syeda Zaidi, Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences

“One of the most valuable experiences of being in ECLIPSE is having the opportunity to serve others before you get into your career, allowing you to build a rapport and get comfortable communicating with people in a stress-free environment.” 
- Andrew Duke, Exercise Science 

“ECLIPSE gave me an immeasurable amount of confidence, in myself and in my leadership skills. When I face the real world, I feel much more prepared as a leader and future healthcare professional.”
- Braydon Welch, Exercise Science