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Leonard Leadership Scholars Program

The Leonard Leadership Scholars Program provides personalized leadership development through innovative courses, enriching extra-curricular activities, and challenging service opportunities. The student commitment creates and sustains a strong servant-leader culture. Participants in the program will earn the Certificate in Personal and Organizational Leadership.

NOTE: This program is only offered to students currently enrolled in a Terry College major.

How to Apply

Complete an online application indicating your demonstrated leadership experience including university activities, community service and work, as well as answer two essay questions.

The online application is open from December 1–January 31. Thirty students are selected annually.

NOTE: During the December-January admission cycle, if you are a Terry student you may apply to both the Leadership Fellows and Leadership Scholars programs, but you will ultimately be accepted to only one.

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Departments and Program Offices

Institute for Leadership Advancement

Activities

In addition to coursework, students are required to participate in these activities which reinforce commitment to civic issues, service, and volunteerism.

  • Program Orientation
    Each spring students meet other new members of the program, learn more about program expectations, and formally commit to program requirements.
  • Junior Retreat
    This off-site weekend retreat held in early January focuses on refining personal missions and values, and building deeper relationships with classmates.
  • Scholars Service-Learning Project
    Students work in groups to address a challenge faced by a community organization over a 12-month timespan. Past projects have helped over  38 organizations like the American Heart Association, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Shepherd Center.
  • Ropes Course
    During the fall of their junior year, students will attend a full day ropes course to enhance team building.
  • Corporate Site Visits
    Students visit a company’s headquarters for a day each semester. Typically, students meet with senior level executives who share the company’s leadership mission, learn the company culture, and often tour the premises. Past visits have included Fortune 500 companies like the Coca-Cola Company,  Turner Broadcasting Systems, Delta Airlines, and Walmart.

Co-curricular Activities

Additional out-of-class activities that focus on professional, networking, and career-development skills to complement a student’s academic growth. These include activities such as Executive of the Day, a Corporate Case Study and more. ILA students must attend at least two of these co-curricular activities each semester.

  • Executive of the Day
    Individuals from corporate sponsor companies and organizations meet with students in small groups to share wisdom in their field of expertise and offer insight into succeeding in college and beyond. 
  • Case Study
    Students take an in-depth look at a fictional or real-life problem with a corporate sponsor (currently, UPS). They research the issue, analyze the problem, and make recommendations to company executives. 
  • Professionalism Events
    Access to events that help improve level of poise, polish, and professionalism. Events can include interview prep sessions, resume-building workshops, etc. 
  • Student-led Service Initiative 
    ILA students host an annual event to give back to those in need. This program has positively impacted local nonprofits like Nuçi’s Space and the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.

Coursework

The core of our curriculum is a set of three required courses that include personal assessments, the study of leadership paradigms, and the application of leadership scholarship to the understanding of self and organizational effectiveness.

Required Courses

Honors Program

Those who participate in UGA’s Honors Program receive honors credit for ILAD courses.

Eligibility

Applicants to this program must:

  • Have a minimum GPA of 3.2 
  • Be considered a Junior by UGA when ILA classes begin. Meaning, applicants must have:
     
    • 45 hours of UGA (or transfer) credit
    • 4 semesters of undergraduate courses remaining at UGA
  • Will be accepted into the Scholars  program only if accepted into a Terry major

The ideal ILA candidate is:

  • Passionate about leadership development and growth
  • Conscientious and driven while also focused on developing positive relationships
  • Committed to being a values-based, impact-driven leader