Lead by Design: Your Future, Designed by You
Learn how to turn abstract aspirations -- such as understanding who you are, what you value, and how you want to live -- into actionable goals, daily habits, and intentional choices that shape the life you want to live.
Life Design blends a Life Design framework with leadership development and mentorship. By the end of this course, you should have a personalized roadmap and a clearer sense of purpose. You won't just have a plan; you should have the confidence to lead your own life and the foundation to continue your journey into the second year of the program.
Note: This seminar is a 2-quarter commitment.
What to expect:
- Hands-on activities and design-thinking exercises
- Group dialogue and reflection
- Leadership development
- Opportunities to explore new ways of thinking
- Challenges that encourage students to step outside their comfort zones
Through these experiences, students gain the tools and confidence to design college, career and life plans that reflect their own values and aspirations.
- Year 1: Design your experiences
- - Participants: First-year students
- Schedule: Winter and spring quarters
- Focus: Students explore their interests, values, and goals while learning to shape their college experience - Year 2: Design your life
- - Participants: Returning second-year students
- Schedule: Fall and winter quarters
- Focus: Students build on their first-year experience and develop a plan for their careers and lives - Two-year program advantages
- Meaningful growth requires time, reflection and continuity. A two-year format allows students to:
- Apply what they learn in real-life situations.
- Experiment with new ideas or approaches and reflect on their progress.
- Build lasting mentoring relationships.
- Receive ongoing support from peers, alumni, staff and faculty
Winter Quarter 2027 Registration Information
All first-year College of Letters & Science students are welcome to apply. Lead by Design is a two-year experiential program designed to help students, including first-generation and low-income students, thrive at a research university.
- Course Code: FRS 004-020
- CRN: 23653
- Meeting Times: Tuesdays 2:10 - 4:00 p.m.
- Grading: P/NP
- Units: 2
Note: You must search this course on Schedule Builder using the CRN (23653), otherwise the course will not appear.
Once you've registered for the course, please also submit a supplemental application on the Lead by Design website.
Life Design Framework
Questions?
Visit fys.ucdavis.edu/lead-by-design for more information or email [email protected] with any questions.
