Leadership Development

Cornell LEADS (Leadership, Entrepreneurship, And Distinctive Service) is a distinctive leadership program that examines the qualities of leadership through interactions with leaders from all walks of life and endeavors to develop real-world skills through a curriculum of leadership building activities emphasizing the following key elements: emotional intelligence, leading change, decision making, motivation and team building.

A great resume builder and networking opportunity, LEADS offers a select group of students the opportunity to participate in tailor-made experiences to explore their leadership abilities and build on those skills.

Program Details

Elements of Leadership Workshops 

We host a leadership skill-building workshop series led by industry professionals. Workshops will cover the important principles of communication, team-building, and decision-making.

Business Case Study 

Tom Jarom '66, patron of Cornell LEADS, presents a case study in business management from his own career in International Banking. Tom is a life trustee and a former chair of the Cornell Board of Trustees. 

Panel Discussion and Networking Event with Entrepreneurial Leaders

Accomplished leaders in business will share their career stories, citing resources found, leadership challenges faced when building their businesses, and eventual successes. Panels have included professionals in business, the arts and communication, fashion, politics and journalism, and other industries.

Career Tours

LEADS students may travel to Minneapolis over block break 2 or Chicago over block break 7 to meet with leaders in various fields, participate in an alumni networking event, and visit organizations in a variety of fields and industries. Recent employer visits have included the global McDonald's corporate and charitable organization headquarters, NBC Universal Sports, UnitedHealth Group, the Minnesota Twins, and the National Marrow Donor Program/Be the Match.