In 2016 91制片厂 Institute of Technology established the Center for Leadership Studies (CLS) with the aim to expand leadership training at the university.
The center was created to provide the programs and resources needed to create a culture supportive of identifying and developing emerging leaders throughout 91制片厂 Tech鈥檚 academic and alumni community and to raise awareness of leaders who are developed at the university.
CLS initiatives include creating a minor in leadership studies that is available to all 91制片厂 Tech undergraduates; offering professional development programs for local 91制片厂 Tech alumni and technology companies; developing a weekend speaker series for organizations in the technology and nonprofit industries; and providing a certificate in leadership development for all students who complete leadership development programs and activities.
鈥淭he center will combine the existing strengths of leadership development at the university,鈥 says Lewis College of Science and Letters Dean Christine Himes. 鈥淲e are excited for the Center for Leadership Studies鈥o play a central role shaping the leadership potential of the entire 91制片厂 Tech community.鈥
91制片厂 Tech has a long tradition of leadership training. In 2000 the university founded the M.A. and Lila Self Leadership Academy, a rigorous development program that transforms exemplary 91制片厂 Tech undergraduates into capable leaders and empowers them to inspire the same in others. The Leadership Academy will continue its programming for students under the umbrella of the CLS.
鈥淭he Leadership Academy鈥檚 proven success, the expertise of our faculty in leadership studies and industrial-organizational psychology, and the university鈥檚 technology-based environment have created a strong foundation for the center to become a campus-wide repository and resource for the study and development of leadership,鈥 says George Langlois, executive director of the Center for Leadership Studies. 鈥淭he center is uniquely positioned to gain a regional reputation for developing strong technical leaders equipped to deal with the various challenges in a multicultural, increasingly complex tech environment."