Don't Leave Any Holes in Your Education
Set yourself apart and gain valuable leadership skills with the award-winning McCombs Leadership Program. The Leadership Program provides you with unique programs and activities to complement your academic requirements while enhancing your leadership development, awareness and actions on an individual, local and global level.
Get involved with a program that integrates activities that you are already likely to be involved in on campus. The program is not meant to add extra time to your degree, it is meant to help you track your leadership involvement and promote your growth as a leader. The Leadership Program encourages and supports participation in community service and student organizations, conferences and retreats which are common elements to a well-rounded business education and will count toward completion of the program.
- Create a Student Leadership Portfolio demonstrating skills, commitment, and involvement to employers or graduate schools.
- Attend leadership programs planned just for you.
- Build lasting relationships with peers as you learn and grow as leaders.
How does this work?
Students participate in their choice of four of six Leadership Development Activities (LDA) each year. We've created an online tracking system (the LP Tracker) to help you. You must submit at least four unique LDAs per year in the LP tracker, but you may enter up to ten.
Leadership Development Activities
- Classes
Courses related to leadership, ethics, personal development, conflict-management, social change and communication. Students may email leadership@mccombs.utexas.edu to verify if a course can count toward this requirement. Students can also view a list of Suggested courses.
- Organizations
Active membership for at least one semester in a registered UT organization.
- Conferences/Retreats
Attendance to a full-day conference related to leadership, ethics, personal development, conflict management , social change and communication with at least 6 hours of participation.
- Book Reviews
Approved books may be checked out from the Undergraduate Programs Office, Leadership Library (CBA 2.302). Additional books related to leadership, ethics, social change and other relevant topics may be used. Email leadership@mccombs.utexas.edu for questions.
- Community Service
Volunteer shift must be at least 4 consecutive hours or be 4 hours over a period of time doing the same volunteer activity (e.g. tutoring at the library). Focus on meaningful service projects which avoid administrative dues, such as assisting with registration or mail-outs.
- Other Activity
We recommend seeking pre-approval prior to submitting an 'Other' activity for LDA credit. Example of 'Other' activities can include participation in an internship or work-study, or a full-time job.
Activities will count toward completion of The Program once you have reflected upon them in the tracker. You should try to stretch yourself. If you have never read a book on leadership, try it. If a community service opportunity comes across your email, sign up for it. The Leadership Program is designed to be flexible and allow you to shape it to your own needs over the the three- to four-year time frame.
The only parts of the program we consider to be "extra" are the once-a-semester leadership programs we will coordinate each year.
Leadership Programs
You are also expected to attend 6 of 8 special programs coordinated by the Undergraduate Programs Office within a 4-year timeframe. Sophomore and transfer admits must attend 5 of 6 special programs within 3 years. All newly admitted students are required to attend the fall semester self-assessment program their first year of LP participation. You will also complete the Contemporary Leadership Issues Course, the LP Capstone Course taught by a distinguished business faculty member.
Themes
Each year of the Leadership Program follows a theme so you can build your skill set.
- Year One: Individual
During your first year in the Leadership Program, you begin to discover your strengths and define your values. Explore your leadership strengths at a retreat. Interact with a panel of leaders and learn how to communicate more effectively.
- Year Two: Organizational
Your second year is spent reflecting on your roles within a group and learning how to more effectively collaborate with others in achieving common goals. Climb Mount Everest as a team through the Harvard Business School Everest Simulation.
- Year Three: Institutional
Year three encourages you to demonstrate your commitment to issues relevant to the multiple communities in which you belong. Connect with the Austin community and actively participate in becoming a better citizen. Complete a community service project with your peers.
- Year Four: Global
Building off your leadership skills and experiences, your final year challenges you to become an ethical global citizen by affecting positive change. Participate in a global trip. Learn how to become a more engaged global citizen.
Contact the Office of Student Life at (512) 232-5557 or by e-mail at leadership@mccombs.utexas.edu.
