About the program
Thunderbirds in Action is a new leadership initiative offering workshops and leadership development opportunities throughout the year. Students can join any individual workshop based on their interests, or participate in the full 16-hour series to deepen their skills and earn a certificate.
Each workshop combines hands-on learning, reflection, and collaboration to help students develop into confident, inclusive, and community-minded leaders. Whether you're exploring leadership for the first time or looking to expand your experience, this program supports you at every stage.
All workshops are open to any student interested in building their leadership journey.
What you'll gain as a Thunderbird Leader
Get ready to grow in ways that actually matter. Through Thunderbirds in Action, you’ll learn how to create experiences that bring people together, build real connections across campus, and handle conflict with confidence and integrity. You’ll discover your own leadership style, explore what drives you, and set goals that match who you want to be. Along the way, you’ll sharpen your creativity, try out new ideas, and learn how to lead with curiosity and purpose. This program is all about helping you become the kind of leader who inspires others on campus, in your community, and beyond.
Program Options:
Attend Individual Workshops
Students can join any workshop throughout the year, with no long-term commitment required.
Leadership Series (16 Hours- Starting January 30th)
Students who participate in all listed workshops and activities earn the official program certificate and service hours.
Students who complete the full 16-hour leadership series will receive:
- A Leadership Certificate of Completion
- Documented Service & Leadership Hours
- Recognition at the Student Life & Leadership End-of-Year Celebration
Individual Workshops Schedule
Individual workshops start in Fall 2026.
Leadership Series Schedule
What Kind of Leader Are You?
Friday, January 30th, 2026
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: LB 300
Workshop Facilitator: E. Tanchez
Workshop Information: Discover Your Leadership Style, Build Self-Awareness, & Reflect With Purpose
Who are you as a leader, and who are you becoming? This interactive workshop invites you to pause, reflect, and explore your personal leadership identity in a meaningful and intentional way. Through guided self-assessments, hands-on activities, and thoughtful reflection, you’ll gain insight into your natural strengths, uncover growth areas, and create goals that support your ongoing leadership journey. During this session, you’ll learn how your values, motivations, and experiences shape the way you lead. You’ll explore different leadership styles, reflect on what feels most authentic to you, and discover new approaches that can help you grow. This workshop is all about understanding yourself more deeply so you can lead with confidence, clarity, and purpose.
Building Relationships
Friday, February 27, 2026
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: LB 300
Facilitator: Mathew Nevarez
Workshop Information: No Cap! Trust, Talk, and Taking the Lead.
Ready to level up your leadership game? This session dives into the power of trust, how to earn it, keep it, and use it to fuel real connection. Whether you're leading a club, a crew, or just your own journey, you'll walk away with communication strategies that work. Students will explore how trust forms the foundation of effective leadership, and how to build it through consistency, empathy, and accountability. Students will learn practical techniques for clear, confident, and inclusive communication that motivates teams and builds stronger relationships. Through interactive activities and group discussion, students will identify the threads of trust we all seek when making an impact in school, clubs, and community settings.
Knowing My Community
Friday, March 27, 2026
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: LB 300
Facilitator: E. Tanchez & Alejandra Maya
Workshop Information: See Your Community Differently, Understand Civic Engagement, Connect With What Drives You!
Leadership doesn’t start in a meeting room. It starts in the community around you. This workshop invites you to step outside the classroom and into Mesa to discover the people, services, and spaces that shape the place you live and learn. Through a guided community tour, you’ll see firsthand how neighborhoods, local organizations, and public spaces play a role in creating a strong and connected city. After the tour, you’ll dive into a workshop all about civic engagement, what it actually looks like, how it shows up in everyday life, and why it matters for emerging leaders. You’ll explore how simple actions, community involvement, and collaboration can create real change, and you’ll learn how civic engagement isn’t just something “big leaders” do, it’s something you already participate in.
Thunderbirds in Action: How will you create your impact? (Certificate Receipents Close Out)
Friday, April 17, 2026
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: LB 300
Workshop Information: Celebrate Your Growth, Reflect on Your Journey, Commit to Your Next Step!
This final workshop brings together all students completing the Thunderbirds in Action Leadership Series for a meaningful close-out experience. After spending the year learning, leading, and growing alongside your cohort, this session invites you to pause and reflect on the leader you’ve become, and the leader you are choosing to be moving forward. You’ll look back on each part of your journey: the skills you built, the challenges you worked through, the connections you made, and the moments that stretched your understanding of leadership. This celebration marks the completion of the 16-hour leadership series and honors the dedication of each student who has invested in their growth. Together, we’ll close out the program, recognize your accomplishments, and look ahead to how you’ll continue leading on campus, in your community, and beyond.
Ready to Get Started?
Take part in one workshop or join the full series and complete your leadership certificate.
Click here to sign up for upcoming workshops!
For further information, please contact, Erick "E" Tanchez at [email protected]