The Division of Student Affairs plans to make the LeaderShape Institute at Tulane an annual event and introduce the one-day Catalyst program to foster leadership and participation across campus. 

LeaderShape is a program that challenges individuals to lead with integrity. 

“[LeaderShape] participants explore not only what they want to do, but who they want to be,” the website states. “Dynamic, challenging and exciting, the week is intended to produce a breakthrough in the leadership capacity of participants — benefiting them individually, as well as their respective communities and the organizations they will go on to lead and serve in the future.” 

Catalyst is a one-day version of the LeaderShape Institute specific for college campuses. It is designed to give people who may not be able to attend LeaderShape a similar experience or give people a view into the program. Catalyst creates a safe place to share opinions  and open discussions on a smaller scale within the Tulane community.

Assistant Director of Student Programs Daphne Everhart said the university previously sent 12 students to another LeaderShape session and that it made more fiscal sense to bring LeaderShape to Tulane.

Fifty-four students participated in the inaugural campus-based session of the LeaderShape Institute at Tulane University in May.

Junior Sue-Claire Lichtveld participated in that session and will serve as an on-site coordinator for the next session of LeaderShape. Lichtveld said that she believes LeaderShape offers a lot to the Tulane community and is a great experience for any students.

“The LeaderShape Institute brings an opportunity to Tulane for leadership, personal reflection, and open thinking and discussions,” Lichtveld said. “LeaderShape has only been at Tulane for one year. The institute, however, has occurred for several sessions at hundreds of universities across the country. It is a week of getting to know a diverse group of your peers, faculty and staff, and yourself. It is challenging, involves critical thinking and reflection. It is a free and amazing opportunity for anyone with any type of leadership ambition.”

Everhart said the program was very successful and Student Affairs expects to have 60 participants come for the session in May.

“Students seemed highly satisfied with their experience, especially as it relates to meeting folks from around campus that they hadn’t had the opportunity to interact with before,” Everhart said. “I think LeaderShape has the potential to make an immense impact on the Tulane community, especially as it relates to students making connections with one another.”

Lichtveld said LeaderShape was one of her favorite experiences at Tulane and that she looks forward to working with the program more.

“LeaderShape was one of my top five favorite experiences as an undergraduate at Tulane,” Lichtveld said. “LeaderShape provided an ideal space for discussion of difficult, yet important topics. I learned so much about who I am as a person and what I aspire to be later on in my life. LeaderShape also gave me about 65 new friends and resources in the form of peers and mentors all throughout campus.”

Applications for LeaderShape due on Friday, March 6.