Client Profile & Challenge
For 50 years, our philosophy and training have been a vital component of NC State University’s Caldwell Fellows Program. We are involved in selecting Caldwell Fellows during their freshman year, and we run an intensive, 3-day training program during students’ junior or senior year as a capstone experience.
Students apply to the Caldwell Fellows program after their first semester in college, ensuring that Fellows have proven they can handle the academic rigors of college. The selection process is intensive, including 3 essays and multiple interviews for a group of about 50 finalists.
The goal is not necessarily to choose the students who always win the top scholarships, but those “diamonds in the rough,” says Bill Sternbergh, one of our senior fellows for leadership education who has taught Caldwell Fellows since the program’s inception and is involved in selecting Fellows. “There’s a glow, there’s a spark about wanting to have an impact on the world,” he says. It’s not uncommon for at least a few of the 25 Fellows selected each year to be the first in their families to go to college. Some of them come from rural North Carolina, others from overseas.
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Caldwell Fellows receive an academic scholarship, leadership and service opportunities, and an annual experiential learning stipend. The stipend requires students to write a proposal before using the money; often it goes to service-learning projects.
Solution & Results
After 3–4 years in the program, students go to our Greensboro campus to spend 3 days in an intensive, hands-on leadership development program. The 3 days are capped with a one-on-one personal coaching session in which the students receive feedback based on their assessments and leadership training. Fellows discuss with their coaches what the feedback and personal insights mean, and how they might apply them as students and future professionals.
There are now more than 1,300 active Caldwell Fellows alumni. Their anecdotes about the impact of the program and our training are telling. Fellows say their CCL experience helps them be better professionals and leaders, from handling significant corporate responsibilities to making life-or-death decisions.
Participants Say
The flexibility of leadership styles is what I value most — the recognition of the correct times to lead by example, to delegate, to support others, or to step forward and take charge. Whether it be teaching, leading the resuscitation of a critically ill child, breaking bad news to a family, managing a group of highly skilled (but stressed) physicians, or developing hospital patient safety initiatives, these skills are used every day.
—Caldwell Fellows Participant
We also had a major scope change, so I had to get everyone realigned with the changes. Being a ‘servant-first’ (leader) helped me be more successful in my role, even though this was the first time that I had this type of leadership opportunity.
—Caldwell Fellows Participant
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We understand the distinct challenges facing higher education. We can partner with your institution to address all levels of the collegiate experience from senior-level administrators to students with our Leadership in Higher Education solutions. Whether you’re creating your first program or revamping a decades-old initiative, we’re committed to strengthening strategic processes and enhancing the leadership capabilities of colleges and universities.
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At the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, we believe the most powerful force in any organization is its people. We partner with organizations worldwide to build leaders and the leadership ecosystems around them, applying our nearly 60 years of experience and research to convert leadership potential into a measurable performance advantage. CCL designs and delivers custom leadership solutions, open-enrollment programs, leadership coaching services, assessments, and enterprise leadership development subscriptions for clients across North America, Europe, India, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
At the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, we believe the most powerful force in any organization is its people. We partner with organizations worldwide to build leaders and the leadership ecosystems around them, applying our nearly 60 years of experience and research to convert leadership potential into a measurable performance advantage. CCL designs and delivers custom leadership solutions, open-enrollment programs, leadership coaching services, assessments, and enterprise leadership development subscriptions for clients across North America, Europe, India, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
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