Investigating root causes, imagining novel possibilities, and working collectively to carve out new paths, these are essential skills students need to address pressing issues and overcome complex challenges. The Lead Forward program forges these core capacities, helping students in the John Martinson Honors College become the leaders of tomorrow while making meaningful change now.
Want to become a change maker? Through an innovative curriculum, extensive mentorship, inspiring speakers, and funding opportunities, Lead Forward offers an extended learning environment where students can develop a robust set of social impact leadership skills. Students who complete the program will not only enhance their leadership toolbox; they will also impact the lives of others, accomplish something of deep personal significance, fulfill their scholarly project requirement, and receive a credential that signals to employers their commitment to leadership development.
Lead Forward Fellowship Grant
The Lead Forward Fellowship is a competitive grant that provides "Impact Teams" of two to five JMHC students with resources and coaching needed to enact their leadership vision. The fellowship includes a seed grant of up to $5,000, as well as participation in courses in the Fall and Spring semesters -- two credits each -- where fellows receive further instruction on social impact leadership and engage in collaborative learning. Lead Forward Fellows also receive personalized mentorship opportunities from Lead Forward Mentors (Purdue faculty and/or staff) with expertise and/or experience that is relevant to their social impact initiative.
Lead Forward Fellowship Grants are awarded based on the viability and potential impact of the leadership vision as well as the efforts of the student leadership team to prepare themselves for enacting their leadership vision. Students who complete the Lead Forward curriculum outlined below have a greater likelihood of receiving this award due to greater preparation. Contact Dr. Adam Watkins at aewatkin@purdue.edu to gain access to this BrightSpace application portal or for further information.
To learn about current and past Lead Forward Fellows and the amazing social impact initiatives they have launched, click here.
Lead Forward Curriculum
The Lead Forward curriculum includes two courses that provide students with the leadership frameworks and tools they need to envision and then enact real social impact. HONR 299: Lead for Social Impact (1 cr) offers a case-study approach to help students explore concepts for social impact leadership in context, allowing them to imagine possibilities for their own leadership vision. As part of this course, students will begin to investigate a cause that matters to them and ways that cause is being addressed at Purdue and/or on other campuses.
In HONR 299: Social Impact in Action (2 cr), students discover essential tools for community-based leadership. Working individually or in teams, students will be guided through the process of investigating a community issue or need and developing a potential initiative to address it. This multi-step exercise allows students to learn the processes of social impact leadership first hand. For those interested in making their concept a reality, the course provides a valuable incubator in which to develop a proposal for the Lead Forward Fellowship Grant or other funding opportunities.
While not required for completion of the Lead Forward credential program, students who want an introduction into key elements of social change leadership should consider participating in HONR 299: Honors Leadership Retreat (1cr; study away) or the Emily Mauzy Vogel Sophomore Leadership Retreat (hosted by the Roger C. Stewart Leadership & Professional Development department). While distinct in many ways, these options provide meaningful learning experiences where students can explore different approaches to leadership, define their own leadership identity, and clarify the commitments they want to pursue through their leadership moving forward.
Lead Forward Mentors
Lead Forward Mentors consist of faculty and staff at Purdue with expertise related to envisioning and enacting social impact leadership, many of whom will likely have preexisting connections with their Impact Team. Responsibilities will include providing support to one of the fellowship teams and, if interested, participating in talks, workshops, or other leadership learning opportunities within the program. While Impact Teams are ultimately responsible for identifying an Impact Mentor, the Lead Forward program provides support with identifying potential mentors as well as a monetary award in recognition of the mentor's time and commitment.
Faculty and staff at Purdue may propose social impact initiatives connected to programs or research they oversee, provided they are open to allowing student teams to take on leadership roles. To propose an initiative, contact Dr. Adam Watkins at aewatkin@purdue.edu.
Lead Forward Luminary Series
Each academic year, the Lead Forward program hosts social impact luminaries who exemplify the myriad ways in which people leverage their interests, talents, and expertise to make a difference in the lives of others. Luminaries have consisted of faculty or staff at Purdue University as well as innovators and change makers in other industries and communities. Visiting luminaries participate in Lead Forward classes, provide mentorship to Lead Forward Impact Teams, as well as meet with select groups affiliated with cosponsors.
Below is a list of public talks from visiting speakers in the Lead Forward Luminary series over the last couple years:
- Gaming & the Environmental Imaginary -- Stephanie Barish, CEO of IndiCade
- Bringing Together Youth, Community, & Empathy: Opportunities for Achieving Stable, Civil Societies -- Mark Brennan, UNESCO Chair for Community, Youth, and Leadership Development and Professor of Leadership and Community Development at Pennsylvania State University
- Exploring Our Expressive Instinct: Reimagining Mental Health and Wellness -- Girija Kaimal, Associate Professor in Creative Arts Therapies and Assistant Dean for the Division of Human Development and Health Administration at Drexel University
