Executive Leadership Initiative

Executive Leadership Initiative 

Boilermakers across Purdue are engaged in many leadership and professional development initiatives inside and outside of the classroom setting. The Executive Leadership Initiative (ELI) is designed to seamlessly integrate with units within Student Life and beyond to support students seeking advanced leadership capabilities—particularly skills needed for team-level and organizational/community-level impact. The ELI is organized into three main components. 

Advanced Leadership Workshop Series 

The Advanced Leadership Workshop Series is designed to support Boilermakers on their journey to develop the next level of leadership and professional development. Created to support students currently serving as leaders across campus, workshops covering a wide range of topics are designed around experiential learning and structured reflection. Workshops emphasize application to real organizational and community challenges students face in their leadership roles. Example topics include Managing Group Dynamics, Building a Culture of Accountability, AI Literacy and Ethics, Influencing through your Personal Brand, Planning for Organizational Transitions, and Facilitating and Presenting Effectively. 

Tiered Mentoring Program 

In 2026-27, LEAD is piloting a new tiered mentorship program with select student groups. The program is designed to benefit both organizations and individuals, supporting both advanced and emerging leaders in their organizational roles, fostering within-group relationships, and building a sustainable culture that values intentional leadership development. The tiered mentoring program utilizes a three-level mentorship structure connecting alumni from participating groups with upper division undergraduates who have already served as officers and less experienced leaders in the organization. If your organization is interested in building a new mentoring program or improving an existing one, reach out to leadership@purdue.edu for more information.  

Peer Coaching 

Peer coaching is designed for students seeking on-demand or short-term support to address specific concerns or challenges while simultaneously creating advanced leadership development opportunities for the student coaches themselves. Peer coaches will be interviewed, hired, trained in coaching techniques, and supervised by LEAD staff.