A new hands-on first-year seminar will allow students to shadow Undergraduate Student Government (USG) members who will teach them about student leadership.

"We're looking at students who don't really know a lot about student government," said Arthur Carter, assistant vice president for student affairs.

"Students need to know how and why their peers are willing to work together in a body like USG."

USG President Rubina Javeri said the class will focus on democracy and representation at the college level.

Horst Von Dorpowski, assistant dean of the College of Education, cautioned that the new seminar is not for freshmen looking simply to fill their schedule with an open seminar. "We're trying to promote this for people who are indeed interested in leadership," he said.

The course will begin this spring and students will be able to register by next week for the seminar, Von Dorpowski said.

Although the class will be housed in the College of Education, students interested in student government from any major can register.

Carter will lead the weekly class and USG members will act as teaching assistants.

Outside of class, students will occasionally shadow, or follow, members of USG, University Park Allocation Committee and Council of Commonwealth Student Governments.

"Those group leaders will be an important part of the class," Carter said.

Javeri said this freshman seminar will work differently from other seminars.

"In this case, it can be very hands on," she said.

Students can gain experience through the class by actively participating in meetings and issues while shadowing the student leaders.

"Also, it's a great way to retain leaders because we'll be molding them from their freshman year," Javeri added about the seminar.

Carter said the students will also explore "valuable articles" from authors such as Benjamin Barber and Alexis de Tocqueville.

The readings will focus on civic engagement of students and other political topics that will be related to student government.

Javeri said there was a similar program a few years ago.

She and other USG branch leaders wanted to re-institute the program to make it more comprehensive while allowing participants to gain academic credit.

"There are clear signs of some level of student disenchantment with adults in politics in general," Carter said.

"We need to take opportunities to help our students realize that the future of the republic depends on their involvement at Penn State."

He said the seminar's focus should be viewed not necessarily as political involvement but as service work with peers for a common good.