Overview

LEAD Students celebrate a completed activity with group fist-bump

About LEADership intensive

Leadership Intensive is a credit bearing, immersive, 3-week residential program offered the September before your junior year. Working with faculty and staff from all across campus in small seminar settings, you will build and strengthen the skills and capacities essential to effective leadership. The program is entirely experiential and, as the name implies, intense. Components include: working with a client as you learn to solve a complex problem using design thinking; assessing and advancing your emotional intelligence capacities; and learning to assemble and lead highly effective teams. As the pictures here indicate, our "classroom" is both indoors and out. 

Our definition of leadership is broad and encompasses everything from consciously crafting your last two years at Stanford (leading oneself) to running an organization (leading others). If you're unsure as to your future goals, finding out what kind of leader you are may provide exactly the insight you're looking for.

Leadership Intensive takes place on campus for the first two weeks, then ventures out to other beautiful, but undisclosed, locations (all within driving distance of Stanford). 

Following the program, we are available to help you construct your own customized pathway through Stanford via internships, capstones, and other courses and programs. Advising, activities and weekly seminars will be available throughout your junior and senior years, allowing your cohort to continue to learn from each other and build on the skills acquired during the program.

COURSE CREDIT

Stickies

Leadership Intensive is a 2-credit course and several options are available for continuing your learning throughout your next two academic years.

One of these is a 1-unit seminar offered in both fall and winter quarters which expands on the concepts covered and provides you, with your cohort, continued opportunity to practice your skills.

A CAMPUS-WIDE INITIATIVE

Leadership Intensive partners with faculty and staff from the many schools, programs and centers on the Stanford campus.  Examples include:

GROUND-BREAKING GLOBAL LEADERS

During Leadership Intensive, you will have the opportunity to hear from and interact with ground-breaking leaders from the United States and abroad. While we are still constructing the 2016 lineup, previous guests include:

  • Erica Fernandez: Stanford graduate, environmental activist, winner of the Jane Goodall Global Leadership Award
  • Christoph Frehsee: Entrepreneur; Founder, MineWolf Systems; CoFounder, Amour Vert
  • Marc Manara and Mark Wittman: Entrepreneurs, Founders, Farm Hill
  • Julie Hanna: Entrepreneur, Executive Chair of the Board, Kiva
  • John L. Hennessy: President, Stanford University
  • Jane Lubchenco: First female administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
  • Sri M: Living Yogi and founder of The Satsang Foundation

TOTAL IMMERSION

Leadership Intensive affords you the luxury of diving completely into the subject, without any other classes competing for your time and energy.  The residential component is also crucial. Here’s what a couple of Leadership Intensive participants had to say about the experience:

"Living with the other participants was integral because I learned so much from my peers. It’s great venturing out of your own 'major' and 'dorms' and to learn from people about their own leadership experiences."

"Loved living with Leadership Intensive, as it really created a sense of community within us. I don’t think the program would have been nearly as enjoyable if we hadn’t been living together for the whole time. Also, the fact that we were comfortable with each other really helped us with giving each other open and honest feedback to help each other."

CONTINUED ADVISING

The associate director of Leadership Intensive remains available to your cohort following the program. She is able to assist you in finding ways to synthesize your learning and work towards your next professional goal. This might entail a helix course, a capstone, other courses and programs, an independent study or internship.

YOUR COHORT

The Leadership Intensive experience results in a tightly-bonded cohort that you will likely remain close to throughout your last two years at Stanford. Weekly seminars, events and activities are all available so that you and your fellow participants can continue to learn and grow together.

HOUSING & DINING

By participating in Leadership Intensive, you are able to move back to campus prior to fall quarter.  We provide the housing and dining while you focus on the program.

FIELD TRIPS

The Boardwalk and beach in Asilomar, CA

Despite the hordes of people trying to get to Stanford, we realize that those of you here sometimes want to get away. Leadership Intensive will take you outside the Stanford Bubble for the final week of the program and allow you to experience the natural beauty of the Bay Area.