Leadership Institute
Interested in applying?
Applications for Fall 2026 are open! The priority deadline is May 20; students that apply for the Leadership Institute after the deadline, or after capacity has been reached, will be placed on a waitlist.
The Leadership Institute (LI) is a values-based leadership program for first-year students that develops emerging leaders with the confidence, ability, and passion to be active and engaged leaders in their communities.
Within their cohort, students participate in a leadership development course, annual retreat, and group-service project, each designed to develop invaluable skills to advance them in their life and career.
About the Program
The Leadership Institute, housed within the C. Raymond Marvin Center for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement, develops self-aware leaders who have the skills to build professional networks and create personal connections within their cohort and throughout campus.
Guided by eight durable skills, students participate in service-learning and leadership projects that develop their competency in career readiness, civic engagement, interpersonal skills, leadership, problem-solving, resilience, and self-awareness. As a result of the Leadership Institute, students are better prepared for a successful life and career.
Due to the program's succeses in preparing students to lead in their lives and communities, the Leadership Institute was awarded a NASPA Excellence Award (Bronze) in 2023.
Leadership Institute members enroll in a 3-credit hour experience combining LEAD 1000 and BGSU 1910 courses. LEAD 1000: Foundations of Leadership is a leadership development course that gives participants the opportunity to plan and implement a service project; participate in personal, team, and professional development opportunities; and learn valuable leadership skills and theories. This course takes a deep dive into the study of leadership development and prompts students to create a plan of how they will lead in college and life.
LEAD 1000 is a life design-affiliated course in collaboration with the Geoffrey H. Radbill Center, for College and Life Design, empowering students with the tools and resources to design and plan their own college journey.
LEAD 1000 seeks to develop the following skills in students:
- Career Readiness
- Civic Engagement
- Interpersonal Skills
- Leadership
- Problem-Solving Skills
- Resilience
- Self-Awareness
LI students will attend our annual fall retreat which is an out of class experience where they will participate in team-building activities with their cohort and practice valuable leadership techniques such as group consensus, communication, and problem-solving. All LI students are required to attend and have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with their cohort.
Leadership Retreat 2025
In keeping with the core values of Bowling Green State University, cohort members will be designing, coordinating, and implementing a service project that they will work on all semester. Students will be divided into groups within their cohort. Each group will participate in a service-learning project that enhances the community. By taking part in this project, cohort members help others, put the relational leadership model and servant leadership theory into practice, and represent BGSU at its highest.
Following the completion of the project, each group will also give a formal presentation on the project in front of campus community members. All group members must actively participate in planning the service project and final presentation.
Updated: 05/20/2026 12:07PM