Since its start on June 10, 1988, Washburn's Institute for the Study and Practice of Leadership has carried a target mission of preparing its participants to make an immediate contribution through leadership roles in their profession and specific community.
While many leadership programs are primarily fueled by those who have power and money, Washburn's program took a different direction. The Institute's director, Gary Forbach, explained that they were adamant about recruiting students who were willing to make the sacrifices and put in the work to become a leader.
"Leadership is not a position, it's not a role, it's not a place in society," said Forbach. "Leadership is a relationship. It's about teamwork. It's not a quality that resides in a person; it's the phenomenon that results when you get lots of people on the same track to something big and important."
To this day, the program is available to any student interested in participating. However, the rigorous course content is what separates the students who are merely interested from those who are truly committed.
Students in the program are required to take three courses. The first begins in their freshman year and the two that follow take place in their sophomore and junior years of college. The fourth course in the sequence is labeled as a "practiceship" or internship that is completed in the senior year.
According to Forbach, this semester alone there are 63 students, ranging from freshman to seniors, who are currently engaged in the Institute.
"Twelve or 13 of those students are scheduled to graduate this May," said Forbach.
Because the program requires a large amount of reading, writing and researching, almost 50 percent of students who begin the program in the fall semester end up not returning at the start of the spring semester. Although this has been used as a criticism against the Institute, Forbach thinks the requirements are reasonably matched with the academic expectations. Furthermore, he has witnessed the successes of many students who sat in his office swearing that they would do nothing more than fail.
2008 Woodie Awards
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