Message from the Director
Published: Fall 2011 | Vol. 1, Issue 4
Director of the Institute for Leadership Advancement
Frequently an ILA alum or supporter will ask me “So, what’s new at ILA?” and my first reaction is to say “Not much.” Perhaps because we are so close to the activity, it is easy to miss that we are in the midst of significant growth and changes. Let me take a few moments to share with you a few of the BIG things that we’re up to.
- This Fall marked the start of the Class of 2013 in the Leonard Leadership Scholars Program. If you're tracking, that means we have completed ten years of ILA operations. With the vision cast by Earl Leonard, we have continued to grow leaders who are grounded in their values and self-knowledge and equipped to lead their companies and communities with servant leadership principles. We have graduated over 700 students and they are working, literally, all over the world.
- This junior class of Leonard Scholars is piloting a new and improved model of the Capstone Service Learning Project. Due to the tremendous success, of last year's junior class' projects at Garnett Ridge Boys and Girls Club, we identified ways to have a more continuous impact on the community. The new model includes a 16-month engagement process that moves students strategically through key stages of a real-world consulting experience and provides the ability to reap longer-term community benefits.
- Our senior Scholars are preparing the rollout of an alumni event for the Spring of 2012. As we continue to grow, our alumni have been asking for opportunities to connect with other students who have come before and after them in the ILA experience. It will be an exciting time on February 25, 2012 so mark your calendars and plan to be there!
- On the development front, we welcomed Ernst and Young, LLP as a new corporate partner. With their investment of $100,000, E&Y is helping position ILA for many years of impact in the Terry College of Business.
- This spring we will also roll out the Mason Lecture Series. Supported by a contribution from Keith Mason, this series will bring to campus prominent business leaders who have contributed significantly to their communities and/or spent time in a public servant role. This perspective will continue to round out ILA offerings by modeling a leader's stewardship to the community.
In addition to these new program additions, other things demonstrate our students' leadership on campus and commitment to the ILA program:
- ILA students continue to make news on campus and in their communities:
- Five ILA students graced the Homecoming Court this year – Hannah Drum, Cuthbert Langley, Danyelle Reynolds, Sarah Vakili, and Davis Webb who was elected Homecoming King.
- Several ILA students have been selected for the prestigious Deer Run Fellows Program with Doug Ivester.
- Senior Scholars will be traveling to Tuscaloosa, Alabama in January to help them rebuild their homes and lives after devastating storm damage.
- Finally, ILA students continue to model their commitment to the program by giving back. Last Spring, the Leonard Scholars class of 2011, completed a class pledge of $38,450. Most importantly, this represented five consecutive years of 100% participation in the class pledge. In addition to the LLSP pledges from classes of 2007-2011, many earlier LLS alumni and certificate alumni have also made pledges and/or actively supported ILA activities. These gifts are laying the foundation that will eventually grow to endowment level gifts for ILA.
So, as you can see, keeping up with the "old" programming, as well as adding new activities keeps us quite busy. There is a lot happening and much of it represents changes that move us toward a stronger, more influential institute.
Whatever role you've played in the first ten years, I thank you and look forward to the decade ahead.
Grateful,
Dale Gauthreaux
Director, Institute for Leadership Advancement
