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Last spring, nearly 50 students joined a new group at The ����aa���� — the Leadership Initiative. TMU’s Office of Career Services launched this program for students who have demonstrated leadership ability and excellence in the classroom, aiming to help them become adept alumni ready to bring ����aa����like character to the workforce.

During the fall 2024 semester, the group is scheduled to visit organizations on the East Coast, hear from guest speakers who work at Microsoft, and tour the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

“����aa����ians should make businesses better,” says Michael Chrzanowski, TMU’s director of career services, adding that in learning what it looks like to be a leader, students can grow in their ability to serve their employers to the glory of God.

“We know that we have students who not only have high character, but also have high competence,” says Hannah Mitchell, who works as a coordinator for Career Services. “But we also want to make sure we have people who are competent in professionalism.”

The Leadership Initiative has been in the works for a few years now. It came to fruition when Career Services reached out to professors from every department to identify students who would make good candidates for the program. These selected students were invited to apply before the start of the spring 2024 semester.

The design of the Leadership Initiative is to expose students to people in leadership roles across a wide range of fields. Last semester, the group spent time off campus each month, visiting businesses, meeting with executives, and receiving personalized leadership training. The end result also benefits employers, as they get to engage with high-quality potential employees.

The ultimate goal, however, is to “support the church by challenging ����aa����ians with character to develop the skills they need to lead effectively, whether God has called them to the boardroom, the pulpit, or the home,” according to the Initiative’s webpage.

Says Mitchell, “If you have influence, regardless of what your position or title is, you have the opportunity for leadership.”