Leadership development takes many forms across William & Mary.
The Leadership Center connects learners with leadership development opportunities across the university, from signature cohort experiences and workshops to civic leadership initiatives, faculty and staff development, experiential learning and interdisciplinary collaborations.
Whether you're beginning your leadership journey, strengthening your team or exploring new ways to grow, you'll find opportunities designed to help you develop self-awareness, build meaningful relationships, lead with integrity, navigate complexity and contribute to the public good.
The Leadership Center serves the entire William & Mary community by connecting learners with leadership development opportunities throughout the university. While our primary focus is faculty and staff leadership development, we proudly support leadership learning for students, alumni and community partners through collaboration with programs and offices across campus.
Faculty & Staff
The Leadership Center's primary area of responsibility is advancing leadership development for William & Mary's faculty and staff through experiences that support individuals at every stage of their careers -- from emerging leaders to senior institutional leaders.
Current leadership development opportunities include:
A collapsible list for formatting purposes.
Exploring Leadership
What: A cohort-based leadership development experience that helps participants deepen self-awareness, strengthen relationships and build the confidence and skills to lead from wherever they are.
For whom: William & Mary faculty and staff at any career stage. Application required.
When: Next cohort begins spring 2027; applications open in fall 2026.
What: A virtual lunchtime leadership series featuring practical tools, meaningful reflection and engaging conversations. Attend a single session or participate in the full series to continue growing as a leader—right where you are.
For whom: Open to all William & Mary faculty and staff. No application required.
What: This training helps faculty develop resilient, self-aware leadership by exploring individual leadership styles and their corresponding "shadows" under stress, enabling clearer, more confident decision-making in academic settings. Faculty learn to stay grounded amid uncertainty, inspire loyalty and positively shape departmental and institutional culture even under pressure.
For whom: William & Mary full-time faculty members (regardless of rank).
What: The Compass Leadership Program is a foundational leadership development program for supervisors and managers. Designed to equip leaders with the knowledge, confidence and practical skills needed to lead effectively, Compass provides a consistent introduction to the responsibilities of supervision while creating opportunities for continued leadership growth throughout an employee’s career. Recognizing that leadership development extends beyond onboarding, the redesigned Compass Leadership Program combines required self-paced digital learning with a growing catalog of campus-wide learning experiences that encourage continuous development, collaboration and the sharing of best practices across the university.
What: Leadership is not just about authority—it’s about influence, vision and impact. Guided by the university’s core values of Belonging, Curiosity, Excellence, Flourishing, Integrity, Respect and Service, this program blends theory with hands-on application. Through self-reflection, ethical decision-making, team leadership and strategic problem-solving, participants will gain the foundational skills necessary to lead with authenticity and purpose.
For whom: The Horizon Leadership Program is designed for employees who aspire to leadership roles or have been identified as emerging leaders within the organization.
What: A flexible, asynchronous online leadership course that explores values-based leadership through self-paced modules, expert mentorship, guided reflection and conversations with distinguished William & Mary and national leaders. Participants earn a certificate of completion and digital credential.
For whom: Designed for emerging, mid-career and senior leaders across higher education, business, government, nonprofit organizations and other sectors. Open to individuals and teams; registration required.
When: Available year-round. Participants may begin at any time and typically complete the course in approximately five weeks.
Fee: $1,525 for general registration. Discounted rates are available for William & Mary community members, and group pricing is available.
What: The Presidential Leadership Fellows Program is a selective, cohort-based leadership development experience designed to cultivate emerging leaders committed to service, integrity and impact. The 36-week program utilizes Lominger’s Framework of Education, Exposure and Experience, with an emphasis on learning by doing and providing Fellows with meaningful opportunities to contribute to institutional initiatives within site placements while developing critical skills in communication, problem-solving and ethical decision-making.
For whom: High-performing mid-level staff.
When: Nominations in August; program runs September-May.
As the Leadership Center continues to grow, additional programs, institutes and learning opportunities will be added to support leadership development across the university.
Students
William & Mary is committed to developing student leaders through academic programs, experiential learning, civic engagement, student organizations and countless opportunities to lead both on campus and beyond.
The Leadership Center is proud to support and collaborate with these efforts while helping strengthen a university-wide culture of leadership development.
The Leadership Center partners with alumni, community organizations and university collaborators to support lifelong learning, civic leadership and professional growth through workshops, special events, conferences and collaborative initiatives.
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