CENTER FOR EXPERIENTIAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
NUMBER OF DONORS: 549
TOTAL DOLLARS RAISED: $5,636,581
The Center for Experiential Leadership Development (ELD) is the bridge between the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Division’s curricular program within the Leadership, Ethics and Law Department and USNA experiential leader programs. Formally established in 2017 through philanthropic support, ELD’s charter is to draw connections between the behavioral science theory taught in the classroom and experiential leadership development opportunities throughout the Brigade in order to further the mission of the Naval Academy.
KEY AREAS OF ELD IMPACT INCLUDE:
• NATIONAL OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP SCHOOL (NOLS)—The field-based leadership practicums are designed to complement USNA classroom leadership theory. Students experience real-world decision-making in unpredictable wilderness environments. NOLS operates courses in locations such as Alaska and Wyoming each summer.
• OUTWARD BOUND SPRING/SUMMER TRAINING—The Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School (CBOBS) offers a field-based leadership practicum that challenges midshipmen through living as a group in a wilderness setting. Participants realize what they are truly capable of and develop leadership skills that meet USNA’s demand for small-unit experiences.
• GETTYSBURG LEADERSHIP ENCOUNTER (GLE)—The Class of ’77 Gettysburg Leadership Encounter brings varsity team captains and Brigade leadership together to learn about the responsibilities and challenges of command through lessons from the iconic U.S. Civil War battle. Midshipman leaders attend classes and break-out discussions covering the leadership tenets of loyalty, standards and action.
• THE NETWORK—The Network empowers and equips midshipmen to navigate careers through increased opportunities for engagement, education and experiences with officers and graduates. The Network cultivates an inclusive and diverse mentoring system of women and men from USNA, the fleet and operating forces. The Network typically involves 400–500 midshipmen annually and provides Lean-in Circle opportunities, as well as four networking events throughout the year to foster mentoring and future retention of women service members.
• SISTERS ACADEMY OF NEW JERSEY AND ST. BENEDICT’S PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL—Midshipmen develop leadership skills as they mentor middle and high school students in the classroom and on school trips. This professional training opportunity allows midshipmen to become role models as they strengthen their problem-solving skills, enhance their innovative thinking and hone their ability to adapt to dynamic situations.
• NAVAL ACADEMY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE (NALC)—Each year, midshipman NALC staff host more than 400 students and faculty from more than 70 schools, including 10 U.S. and international service academies.
• NL425 ENGINEERING LEADERSHIP COURSE—Engineering Leadership (NL425) is offered by the Aerospace Engineering Department as an upper-level humanities course. The class prepares students for project management roles with practical application projects. Students demonstrate technical leadership skills while working in teams that focus on engineering innovation.
• ELD-IPO BATTLE SITES LREC—The International Programs Office (IPO) combines with ELD on Language, Regional Expertise and Culture (LREC) trips to provide select midshipmen an opportunity to interact with overseas cultures. The history of U.S. diplomatic and military involvement before, during and after various conflicts instills a broadened understanding of cross-cultural dynamics within a conflict setting.
“Developing leaders is USNA’s most important mission and thus we believe it is crucial that every midshipman—not just ‘stripers’—graduates with the appropriate leadership concepts, tools and experiences. We supported experiential leadership programs to give a larger group of midshipmen the opportunity to develop and hone leadership skills in challenging, small group settings so that they are better prepared to lead sailors and Marines.” —Greer ’85 and Bob Lautrup