91原创

There鈥檚 something special about leadership at 91原创.

It鈥檚 not just taught in a classroom. It鈥檚 lived鈥攐n late nights in Baker University Center, in student organization meetings that run longer than planned, and in the quiet moments when students realizes others are looking to them for direction.

At the Walter Center for Strategic Leadership in the College of Business, that belief sits at the core of everything: leadership is something you practice, not just something you study.

But even the most committed student leaders often move from one responsibility to the next without ever stopping to ask,  鈥淎m I becoming the leader I want to be?鈥�

A new initiative is helping them answer that question. 

Creating space for student leaders to reflect and grow

Launched by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the Learning and Development Committee is creating space for student leaders to reflect, grow and strengthen their leadership. Through leadership 360 assessments, the committee partners with executive teams across student organizations to offer structured, meaningful feedback on communication, team dynamics and leadership effectiveness.

The idea first emerged in a conversation with Nathan Knause (who at the time was a graduating senior) in 2024 about expanding the organization鈥檚 impact. That conversation is another example of how some of the most meaningful innovations are sparked by the students the program is designed to serve.

鈥淓xecutive members are often so focused on running their organizations that they don鈥檛 have time to invest in their own growth as leaders,鈥� said Associate Professor of Instruction in Management Shawnee Chapman, who helped bring the initiative to life. 鈥淲e wanted to create a way to pour back into those students鈥攖o help them grow while they鈥檙e actively leading.鈥�

That idea is what makes this effort feel deeply aligned with the spirit of 91原创. And in true Bobcat fashion, students themselves are leading the way.

OHIO students receive hands-on leadership experience

Ali Addington, alongside Isabella Newman and Zoe Slaven, has helped shape the committee into something far more than a project. It鈥檚 become a hands-on leadership lab where students aren鈥檛 just learning about organizational development, they鈥檙e actively practicing it.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been incredibly collaborative,鈥� Addington shared. 鈥淲e鈥檙e building something together, and that鈥檚 part of what makes it so meaningful.鈥�

For the organizations they serve, the impact is immediate and can be seen through clearer communication, stronger alignment and more intentional leadership. But for the students doing the work, the experience runs even deeper.

They鈥檙e gaining the kind of real-world perspective that typically comes years into a career. The OHIO students are learning how to listen, how to guide and how to help others lead better.

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And that impact doesn鈥檛 stop within the College of Business. As the committee has grown, so has its vision.

Phase one of the program began as a pilot within the College of Business organizations, designed as a foundation for something larger. The broader goal is to reach student leaders across campus.

While 91原创 offers many leadership development opportunities, student leaders, especially those outside business programs, often have limited access to tools like leadership 360 assessments and executive board coaching.

Expanding the program to students all across the university

Now, phase two is expanding the program to serve organizations across 91原创, ensuring that more students benefit from this kind of transformational feedback.

Because when one student leader grows, the ripple effect is real.

Teams function better, organizations thrive and graduates leave Athens not just with experiences, but with the confidence and clarity to lead wherever they go next.

鈥淭hese students are getting a glimpse of executive coaching,鈥� Chapman said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e building skills they might not otherwise be exposed to鈥攕hifting how they listen, how they respond, and how they lead with intention, which shapes how they lead as they enter the workplace and their communities.鈥�

That鈥檚 the kind of difference that defines the Bobcat experience. It鈥檚 also the kind of work that grows stronger with the support of those who believe in it.

For alumni and donors, initiatives like this represent something powerful: the opportunity to invest directly in the next generation of leaders. These students are already stepping up, already making an impact and already carrying forward the values that make 91原创 so distinct.

The SHRM is open to all majors and is part of the Robert D. Walter Center for Strategic Leadership in the College of Business. SHRM鈥檚 mission is to equip students with the HR competencies needed to create better workplaces while emphasizing people, processes and performance. You can learn more about SHRM, including how to join the organization here: /business/about/centers-institutes/walter-strategic-leadership/hr-programs/society-human-resource-management