Leadership Development

The leadership development programs are based on three theme tracks: emerging leaders, constituency leaders, and current leaders. The work that we do in these tracks is inclusive of students of color, students from Greek organizations, women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students. Programs include a range of skill building workshops, seminars, leadership retreats, and conferences.

The guiding philosophy of our leadership programs is as as follows:

∫ Leadership has a purpose.
∫ Leadership is a group process.
∫ Leadership is an opportunity to make a positive impact.

Throughout the academic year, LEAD provides a number of training and leadeship development series, offering students interested in cultivating their leadership abilities multiple opportunities to fully discover their leadership potential. LEAD partners with the Office of Multicultural Affairs to address the needs of Latino, African Heritage, Asian, South Asian, and East Asian American, Native American, Middle Eastern, and Mixed Race students. LEAD also offers specialty trainings for women, student organizations, the student councils, and governing boards.

In addition, the Columbia University Affiliate of the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI) offers leadership in diversity training where a host of identity groups can come together to practice coalition building and prejudice reduction work. The Columbia LEAD Constituency Leaders track is offered to help constituency group leaders and their members the opportunity to work through both intra and inter group issues and to develop key skill sets that enable these groups to stay central to campus life. Through the constituency programming vehicle, Columbia is able to continue celebrating a vibrant campus community with contributions from the many varied groups that constitute our University.

Columbia University Leadership Evolution and Development