Clemson named a Best College for Future Leaders by TIME

Clemson University has been named a Best College for Future Leaders by TIME Magazine. TIME, in partnership with Statista, a leading international provider of market and consumer data and rankings, rated 100 colleges based upon an analysis of approximately 2,000 of the most influential leaders in the U.S., coming from the worlds of business, government, academia and culture.

Clemson, ranked No. 84 nationally, offers students, faculty and staff a wide range of leadership and professional development opportunities on campus and across the state. Each academic year, new students are introduced to the Clemson Leader Framework as part of the Orientation process. The Center for Student Leadership and Engagement introduces six practices of excellence fundamental to fostering leadership within students: communication, strategic planning, building community, personal growth, collaboration and sustaining legacy. In August, more than 3,800 students participated in Clemson Leader Day during Welcome Week.

While at Clemson, students are continually exposed to leadership opportunities through programs such as Thomas F. Chapman Leadership Scholars Program, Certified Student Leader, Women in Leadership Conference as well as involvement in more than 560 registered student organizations.

The Thomas F. Chapman Leadership Scholars Program, founded in 2009 through gifts from Tom and Karen Chapman, began as a distinctive three-year experience for chosen students in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business. Drawing inspiration from The Wizard of Oz, the program weaves leadership lessons anchored in crucial values with academic scholarships. Progressing through the years, students focus on developing intellect, courage, and heart, symbolized by the Scarecrow, the Lion, and the Tin Man.

 In 2017 with additional support from the Chapmans, the program expanded to offer students in all of Clemson’s colleges to have the opportunity to participate. The program expanded university-wide from 10 to 14 Leadership Scholars selected each year for a total of 42 Scholars. More information on the Chapmans contributions to leadership development at Clemson, including the establishment of the Thomas F. Chapman Distinguished Professorship in Leadership, can be found here.

Programs in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences are helping the University not only create the next generation of engineers and computer scientists but the next generation of leaders.

The Robert B. (’70) and Susan B. Hambright Annual Leadership Program in Engineering was established by Mr. Robert Benjamin Hambright, Class of 1970, and Mrs. Susan Bindseil Hambright. The mission of this merit-based leadership program is to create awareness of the power and impact that can be achieved through leadership. Students who benefit from this program demonstrate leadership qualities in learning agility, humility, strong character, and demonstrated leadership characteristics in academic areas, student organizations, and community activities.

The Leadership Signature Program (LSP) and Dean’s Global Leadership Program (DGLP) in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business are designed to elevate the college as a premier destination for business education.

The LSP offers a distinctive Leadership Certificate. Comprised of 12 undergraduate credits, the certificate combines traditional leadership-focused courses with a unique multi-semester, progressive leadership practicum, allowing students to develop their leadership capabilities and contribute to the development of others.

The DGLP, designed to be completed in as little as one and a half years or stretched over multiple years, features core courses such as Global Business Negotiations and Global Leadership Lessons. In addition to these, students engage in a range of experiences, including at least one International Business Perspectives course, two credits of leadership practicums and a Global Experience. The program distinguishes itself by focusing not on specific business majors but on nurturing skills and knowledge essential for leadership across various professions, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity and collaboration — crucial 21st-century skills.

Like Clemson’s students, Clemson’s faculty and staff have opportunities to build their leadership acumen. Both the President’s Leadership Institute (PLI) and CU Grow are well-established institutional professional development programs taking careers to the next level. Now in its eighth year, PLI was introduced by President Jim Clements in 2016 to introduce faculty and staff to all aspects of the University’s operations, present opportunities to interact with senior leaders and to offer activities designed to build leadership skills, broaden perspectives, create invaluable networks and prepare leaders able to pursue additional roles at Clemson. Additionally, CU Grow, is a rigorous one-year program increasing leadership, engagement and professional growth in its participants. Each cohort represents diverse University professionals from different divisions, colleges and offices, and by graduation, each member is required to produce an impact project significantly improving the University.