Bucknell Bison Leadership Academy
Three student-athletes recap Feb. 3, 2013 sessions Inaugural Bucknell Bison Leadership Academy Kickoff Event a Big Success Leadership Academy Programming Underway in 2012-13 Competitive sports at Bucknell dates back to 1870, and more than a century later Bucknell has established itself as a national leader in providing successful academic and athletic opportunities for student-athletes. Today, the Department of Athletics & Recreation strives to set the standard of excellence among all intercollegiate programs by maintaining academic priorities and supporting educational and personal development, all while providing the rigorous and competitive Division I athletics opportunity sought by Bucknell student-athletes. As Bison Athletics seeks to create a comprehensive learning environment that meshes with the academic mission of the University, an important element of the complete student-athlete experience is participation in an elite leadership development program designed to identify, develop, challenge and support student-athletes and coaches in their continual quest to become leaders in academics, in athletics and in life. In August 2011, Bucknell director of athletics and recreation John Hardt announced the launching of a formal leadership development program. As part of a Patriot League-wide leadership initiative, this "Leadership Summit" was designed to help student-athletes learn how to be effective leaders on and off the playing fields. The Bucknell Bison Leadership Academy delivers programming and instruction that bridge theory, development and real experiences in an interactive learning environment. Through this endeavor, team leaders can enhance their impact on their teammates' and their program's performance immediately and for years to come. After a very successful first year, in 2012-13 the Leadership Academy programming has expanded, with the highlight of the fall series being an Oct. 14 Leadership Kickoff event at the Campus Theater in downtown Lewisburg, featuring Bucknell President John Bravman and special guest speaker Bill Gruver, the Scott Clinical Professor of Global Commerce, Strategy and Leadership at Bucknell. "The Bucknell Bison Leadership Academy is yet another 'value-added' component of our athletics program, and it differentiates our program from others by providing another dimension of development for our Bison student-athletes and allows Bucknell to continue leading the nation in providing the best possible scholar-athlete experience," said Hardt. ""We are excited about entering our second year of the Bucknell Bison Leadership Academy," said senior associate director of athletics Maisha Kelly, who administers the program. "This year we have expanded our approach and model and believe that this new robust offering will further enhance the student-athlete experience at Bucknell. After a four-year implementation of leadership programming, every Bison student-athlete will have been touched by leadership training. We believe this exciting new endeavor is something that will continue to elevate Bucknell Athletics both on and off the field, and it will pay dividends for our student-athletes long after graduation." Go Bison!
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