Communication studies students are using the skills they learn in class to host a leadership workshop on Nov. 10 for the 2016 Spring Sing directors.

According to Spring Sing director Dr. Steven Frye, leadership among peers, conflict resolution, and planning and organizing are the three areas in which the communications studies students will assist the Spring Sing directors.

This workshop has a unique, two-fold value, Frye said.

“I think it will help our students who are club directors and I think it is valuable training for the students in this class,” Laurie Diles, associate professor of communication and the instructor of the course, said.

The class focuses on learning “soft skills,” Diles said.

These include team building, conflict management, decision-making, presentation and other practical communication skills.

Because of the nature of the class, Diles said the best way for the students to learn these techniques is through practical application.

At the beginning of the semester, the students chose the Spring Sing directors as their audience for the workshop. This workshop will be beneficial for the Spring Sing directors for numerous reasons, Frye said.

“There are always issues when you’re a leader among peers,” Frye said. “They will learn things that will help them do their job as directors.”

The faculty members involved in the workshop are not the only ones who are excited about its potential. Sophomore Ashton Cate, Spring Sing director for men’s social club Gamma Sigma Phi, said he thinks they will benefit greatly from the workshop.

“It’s always better to learn how to work with each other and learn how to communicate,” Cate said. “I feel like we’ve done a really good job with it, but having this training in the back of our heads as we move forward will be very helpful.”

Since fellow students are teaching the workshop, Cate said he thinks they will be more receptive to what they are learning.

“When listening to fellow students, sometimes you give them a little more attention,” Cate said. “They’re your age and they’ve worked really hard on this and you want to give them a full opportunity.”

This is the first time the communication studies class has been offered at Harding. The practical, life-skills aspect of this class is the reason Diles said she hopes to offer this class again in upcoming semesters.

Because they have students learning concepts through teaching others, “it’s a package that is pretty hard to beat,” Diles said.