CU Boulder’s Center for Leadership celebrates 50 years of impact | CU Boulder Today
5 questions with Stefanie Johnson
Stefanie Johnson, director of the Center for Leadership and professor at Leeds School of Business, reflects on the center’s journey and its vision for 2030—that humans who are interested in leadership will come to see Boulder as the place where leaders are made.
What does the 5-year milestone mean for the center?
Five years is a big milestone—it’s both a celebration and a chance to reflect. When the Center for Leadership launched in 2020, Chancellor Philip DiStefano had a bold vision: to shape tomorrow’s leaders by bringing CU Boulder’s many leadership efforts together under one coordinated, research-driven hub.
Fast forward to today, and that vision has truly come to life. The center now connects 45 affiliate programs across every college; leads signature initiatives like the Leo Hill Leadership Speaker Series, the Emerging Leaders Academy and the Newton Fellows Program; and has become a national model for how a public university can scale leadership education.
This milestone shows that leadership isn’t just an add-on at CU Boulder anymore—it’s part of our institutional DNA.
How do you define success for the center?
For us, success isn’t just about how many programs or events we run—it’s really about impact and identity. We look at success through four lenses.
Are leaders born or made?
Our research shows that about 30% of leadership is genetic—your intelligence, extraversion, height and things like that. But 70% of leadership is learned. The Center for Leadership uses evidence-based practices to ensure students are learning leadership while they are Buffs.”
- Access: Every CU student should have a way into leadership development, no matter their major or background.
- Depth: Our programs combine theory, research and hands-on practice—whether that’s coaching, outdoor leadership intensives or civic engagement projects.
- Community: We’ve built an ecosystem where faculty, staff, alumni and community partners mentor and learn alongside students.
- Evidence: Through rigorous evaluation and data, we can show how leadership education boosts student success, well-being and civic engagement.
At the end of the day, if students leave CU Boulder seeing themselves as leaders—ready to act with integrity, creativity and care—that’s when we know we’ve succeeded.
How does the center ensure every student can access leadership opportunities?
Accessibility is really at the heart of our model. Instead of creating one selective program, we built a network of leadership opportunities that meets students where they are.
Through our Affiliate Leadership Network, we coordinate with 45 programs—everything from academic minors and ROTC to athletics, student affairs initiatives and community-based leadership experiences—so students can choose the format that fits them best.
We’ve also introduced low-barrier entry points like the Emerging Leadership Academy, which is open to all students, and our Boulder-CU Leadership Program mentoring initiative. By uniting programs, removing financial barriers and creating multiple on-ramps—from micro-credentials to fellowships—we make sure leadership education at CU Boulder is for everyone, not just the already-involved few.
What role does the center play in CU Boulder’s vision of transforming lives to create a sustainable world?
We see leadership as the bridge between learning and lasting impact. The center helps turn CU Boulder’s world-class teaching and research into ethical, sustainable action.
Our students don’t just study climate or innovation—they lead projects that make those values real: reducing waste in Boulder, improving mental-health access, planting trees, mentoring youth and launching civic-impact challenges.
We teach students to lead with self-awareness, social responsibility and a systems mindset. For us, sustainability isn’t just environmental—it’s human and organizational. It’s about sustaining communities, workplaces and democracy itself.
That’s why we believe leadership development is CU Boulder’s most powerful tool for transforming lives and shaping a just, sustainable world.
What advice do you have for students who want to get involved?
For faculty, staff
A-Lab (Affiliate-Lab) is a three-year-long development and grant opportunity for CFL affiliate programs. A-Lab supports affiliate staff and faculty in advancing their programming, generating elevated leadership education across CU Boulder. Learn more.
My advice? Start anywhere—but start. Leadership is within us all. If you’re curious about leadership, there are so many ways to jump in. Join the Emerging Leaders Academy, which happens once a month, or sign up for mentoring or take LEAD 1000, the first course in the leadership studies minor.
You can also check out the Leo Hill Leadership Speaker Series. This fall, we’re thrilled to host film producer Gigi Pritzker. And the week before, on Nov. 6, we’re screening her Emmy-nominated film “Nonnas”—it’s a great way to connect with other students who geek out about learning how to lead.
Leadership isn’t about a title—it’s about showing up with courage, curiosity and purpose. Every student at CU Boulder has the capacity to lead. We’re here to help you discover how.
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