The W. H. Plemmons Leader Fellows Program is under the direction of the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership at Appalachian. It was developed in 1994 in honor of Dr. William H. Plemmons, Appalachian's second president. Dr. Plemmons embodied the principles of student empowerment and was committed to providing students with out-of-class experiences that would complement their in-class learning, which is the foundation of the Plemmons Leader Fellows Program. Demonstrating the belief that leadership can be developed, the Plemmons Program is a four year in-depth experience aimed at creating successful leaders. The program attempts to identify entering freshmen who have demonstrated leadership and successful involvement in their high school or community. The program combines both in-class instruction and out-of-class experiential opportunities designed to provide participants with leadership development opportunities. Programs and opportunities available to a Plemmons Fellow include special classes, seminars, retreats, outdoor leadership experiences, conferences, experiential opportunities,and individual needs assessment.