ASU Leadership Institute

What is the ASU Leadership Institute?

Each year, the ASU Alumni Association accepts a cohort of up-and-coming and current leaders for a professional and personal leadership development program. This structured nine-month program takes an in-depth look at the university and its institutional objectives to demonstrate excellence, access and impact, and the importance of higher education. 

During ASU Innovation Days, participants meet ASU renowned professors, practitioners and executive leaders and learn about how higher education, business and community can succeed together. The ASU Leadership Institute works to enlighten, inspire and transform leaders from diverse professions and communities.

The program is specially designed to help participants develop and understand critical leadership skills. The cohort will participate in a leadership assessment tool that will provide in-depth analysis and insights that identify key strengths to further develop and areas to enhance. Each ASU Innovation Day will feature a leadership panel or program showcasing top educators and experts in many fields, including business, consulting, nonprofit management, ethics, media and military service.

Application to the ASU Leadership Institute is open to all degreed ASU alumni the private, public and nonprofit who have demonstrated community involvement through participation in at least two organizations and who were involved as a student in organizations and clubs on campus or are currently involved with ASU. The application for the upcoming leadership class opens every January.

The written application is weighted equally as the candidate interview. It is important that candidates devote adequate time to the written application. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. To complete the written application process, you must submit the online application and provide the following:

• Your resume.
• A personal statement of 300–500 words.
• Two letters of recommendation.
  • One must be from your current employer.
  • One must be from a community organization in which you are involved or have been involved.
• A nonrefundable application fee of $50.

The Class 5 program runs from August to May, beginning with an orientation, continuing with one full program day each month and concluding with a graduation ceremony. In addition to attending the program, participants will be required to complete a team-based community impact project.

The requirements must be met to qualify for successful completion of the program. Attendance is mandatory at orientation, the first ASU Innovation Day and graduation (no exceptions). If you cannot commit to the schedule, please consider applying at a time when you can commit to the time requirements.

The curriculum elements of the ASU Leadership Institute include Innovation Days, social events and the opportunity to participate in a panel.

• ASU Innovation Days: Once a month, from August to May, participants spend a day focusing on critical components of higher education and ASU. Each ASU Innovation Day features guest speakers who are experts in their respective fields. A tour of resources on ASU campuses is also included.

• Social events: Social events include opportunities to interact with your institute classmates through the ASU/Sun Devil Impact Project, opportunities to attend ASU athletic events and a leadership-style exercise.

• Panel element: Participants will be asked to share their insights with current ASU students, members of future ASU Leadership Institute participants of the program, the ASU Alumni Association Board of Directors and National Alumni Council, or the Trustees of ASU. This is a one-time commitment.