The LeaderShape® Institute at Michigan Tech
The LeaderShape® Institute has continued to evolve and has been training leaders from our campus since 1996. To date, over 1,300 Huskies have participated in the program. The Institute takes place between the fall and spring semesters at the Ford Center in Alberta, MI.
This year, the program will run from Sunday, December 15th-Wednesday, December 18th. Transportation to and from the Institute, meals, and lodging are provided. Participants must be available and are expected to stay for the entire length of the Institute. There is a minimal cost of $100 for participants to attend the Institute, however, that cost is often sponsored by campus departments and organizations.
Applications for the 2025 Institute® are now open! We are seeking applicants who are curious, motivated, and ready to learn - whether you are an engaged student leader on campus already or looking to take your first step on your leadership journey. We intentionally seek students with a wide variety of interests and experiences. At the core of the LeaderShape experience is understanding the value of leading with integrity and the possibilities that come from a commitment to leading with purpose.
Want to learn more? Keep reading or contact us at activities@mtu.edu. Ready to commit?
The priority deadline for applications is November 10, 2024. However, applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until all spots are filled or the final application deadline of December 2, 2024.
What happens at the LeaderShape® Institute?
The Institute challenges participants to lead with integrity while working towards a vision grounded in their deepest values. Through the 4-day retreat students will:
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Develop a sense of community
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Make meaning of their personal values and connect their actions to them
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Strengthen their leadership style and understand how to work with other leadership styles
The program content reflects key leadership elements of vision, partnerships, integrity, and results. Each day has a different theme that builds on the previous day as the session progresses:
Day One: Living and Leading with Integrity
Day Two: Challenging What Is, Looking to What Could Be
Day Three: The Value of One, The Power of All
Day Four: Living in Possibility
The Institute utilizes highly interactive program methods rather than classroom lectures. In this environment, everyone is a teacher and everyone is a learner. Many of the activities engage the large group known as the Learning Community. Smaller groups, called Family Clusters, are also formed as a supportive, safe environment for personal reflection and the development of new skills, attitudes, and abilities.
Not a typical leadership retreat, the Institute is grounded in helping individuals identify the values they hold that lead to making a difference in the communities around them. By leading with passion, integrity, and a healthy disregard for the impossible, participants explore who they are and the impact that they want to have on communities working towards a more caring, just and equitable society.
Cluster Facilitator
The Family Cluster is the small support group for participants during the four day retreat, and the Cluster Facilitator serves as the group's resource, catalyst, and facilitator. Because the Cluster Facilitator has considerable interaction with the participants, they are one of the most valuable members of the facilitator team during the Institute. The Cluster Facilitator will support participants as they develop their visions and encourage positive interpersonal and group skills in a safe and trusting environment. Cluster Facilitators are also encouraged to maintain contact with members of their Family Cluster following the program. This contact helps participants stay in action to successfully achieve their visions after the program.
Specific roles within the Family Cluster and Learning Community include:
- Modeling leadership behavior and acting with integrity
- Clarifying, summarizing, and sharing ideas
- Guiding group discussions
- Teaching selected segments of the curriculum
- Establishing a climate conducive to learning
- Challenging thinking and encouraging reflection and feedback
Now Seeking Cluster Facilitators for Institute 2025
Interested parties should contact activities@mtu.edu
On-Site Coordinators
The LeaderShape® On-Site Coordinator is an integral part of ensuring a successful Institute. Each year, Michigan Tech enlists the assistance of two LeaderShape® graduates to assist in promotion, logistical and conference management tasks, and community building, which are crucial to the program. All applicants for the position must be graduates of the LeaderShape® Institute. Eligible students for the on-site coordinator position will be contacted directly via email about the application process.