Support our future leaders in natural resources

The Leadership Institute

Each year, 12 juniors and seniors in the College of Natural Resources and Environment apply for and are selected to take on the challenge of the CNRE Leadership Institute. This program is a unique experience that helps students learn and grow by complementing their technical know-how with the critical “people” skills needed to excel as future leaders and policymakers. Now in its ninth year, the program is a model for hands-on, minds-on education and for producing leaders who have the skills and passion to make an impact.

Growing our future leaders

Students who participate in the Leadership Institute work hard—in the classroom, on team projects, and on their own self-awareness. Once accepted, they embark on a journey of leadership development and practice that includes taking a three-credit course in both the fall and spring semesters, participating in an off-campus retreat, managing a capstone team project, and interacting with leaders from government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private industries. They learn how to leverage their personality type, effectively deal with change and conflict, lead a team, and manage their personal leadership journeys.

Networking in Washington, D.C. and Richmond

In January, before the start of the spring semester, the Leadership Institute students, their instructors/ mentors (Brian Bond and Steve McMullin), and Dean Paul M. Winistorfer take a weeklong trip to Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., to engage with leaders and policymakers in natural resources. The trip also gives students a chance to learn about different leadership styles, see classroom concepts in action, and further develop their professional etiquette. In 2018, the group met with individuals from the Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Smithfield Foods, Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, U.S. Forest Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Survey.

How you can help

You can ensure that this program continues to serve students in the college who are stepping up to manage our planet’s resources and preserve our natural heritage for future generations. Our students report that this program is the “cornerstone” of their achievements and that “I have learned more about myself and my leadership potential in the last several months than I have in the last several years.” Your support will go toward making the annual trip to Richmond and Washington possible. Please consider making an impact through one of the giving levels on the right. Thank you for helping the Leadership Institute continue!