Forward for Tomorrow's Trailblazers

Leadership Programs

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To truly prepare Terps to step up and stand out, we’re also reimagining how we educate and inspire across every discipline. Teaching and learning in leadership programs cultivate the next generation of changemakers by encouraging critical thinking and creative problem solving.

The Leadership Studies program welcomes undergraduates of any major to bring leadership theory to life through real-world application. Rooted in the values of global citizenship and civic responsibility, Leadership Studies minor and certificate programs prepare students to take action—formally and informally, locally and globally.

The Frederick Douglass Center for Leadership Through the Humanities celebrates the values of the famed abolitionist and native Marylander who was born into slavery and went on to become a prominent writer, orator, publisher, civil rights leader and government official. The center fosters conversations about leadership rooted in humanistic thinking and values in the 21st century. Through diverse learning and funding opportunities, public events and community engagement, it connects students, teachers, activists, artists and others committed to social change.

Students combine academics, doing good and camaraderie in UMD’s Leadership and Community-Service Learning, home of programs including Alternative Breaks, Maryland Mentor Corps and Terps for Change. Whether they’re spending winter break working toward sustainable agriculture in Guatemala, mentoring local elementary schoolers or volunteering at a food pantry, students are getting the tools and experiences to become socially responsible leaders.

The Smith Business Leadership Fellows program in the Robert H. Smith School of Business promotes mentorship and community-building through a "Focus on Me" and a "Focus on We." Over students' freshman and sophomore years, fellows develop personal goals and aspirations, work in teams and learn about the entrepreneurial mindset, critical thinking and conflict resolution. They graduate with sharpened leadership skills and a strong professional network.

At UMD leadership isn’t just a concept—it’s a mission whose success depends on donor support.

A young woman with curly brown hair, wearing a blue blouse and black blazer, smiling at the camera looking over her left shoulder.

As graduation approaches, many seniors begin thinking about what comes next. For School of Public Policy senior Camila Manrique, that meant looking for one final opportunity to challenge the ideas about U.S. foreign policy she had spent years debating in the classroom.