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When Julia Wiard began serving as the instructor and coordinator for Auburn's Leadership Minor program back in 2011, she had just one student enrolled.  

But with an expert in leadership at the helm, the program has experienced tremendous growth over the years. Today, the minor has well over 100 students enrolled at any given time, with a growing demand for additional course sections. 

And while she won’t name names, Wiard has had some of Auburn's most famous athletes from the field and court in class, as well as students in leadership roles from a variety of campus organizations. 

"The great thing about leadership classes is there is something you can use instantly," she said. "You can use it in your student organization, in your job, your internship or your athletic team." 

The leadership minor requires two courses — an introductory class, LEAD 2000 Foundations of Leadership, and a capstone class, LEAD 4000 Leadership in Practice. Students also choose three electives from a range of areas, including communication, management, sociology and political science, that allow them to tailor their coursework to complement their majors. 

These classes help students develop skills in problem solving, decision-making and civic engagement, all of which will come in handy in their future careers. 

The Leadership Minor program is part of University College, which is housed in the Office of the Provost. Over the years, Wiard has worked with various campus units, including Greek Life and Athletics, to provide leadership and professional development. Last summer, she led a study abroad leadership class in Madrid, Spain. 

Consistently ranked by students as one of Auburn's top professors, Wiard maintains it is building relationships with students, faculty and staff across campus that makes her job worthwhile. 

"I do love those big moments when a student runs for something or they apply for something, and they email me to let me know they got the job," she said. "It's cool to get to be part of their experience."