Mission

Equip and elevate Sewanee colleagues to lead positive change.

Vision

A flourishing University where everyone has the ability and responsibility to lead.

Philosophy

Leadership is a skill that must be cultivated and practiced. If we do not learn how to lead well, we cannot model or teach it well. To guide and inspire our students and each other, every colleague, whether faculty or staff, can grow by learning effective leadership. The Center for Leadership is dedicated to offering opportunities for meaningful growth, connection, and joy in leadership development.

Strategy

To create exceptional leaders among our colleagues and students, we will empower and equip our colleagues to model and teach exemplary leadership. This will be achieved through:

  • Programs: Short- and long-term leadership development workshops, courses, and circles.
  • Coaching: Individual coaching sessions to faculty and staff.
  • Resources: Leadership resources to support the growth of faculty and staff.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:


"Building Influence & Impact Through Purpose-Inspired Leadership in the Classroom and on Campus" with Cathy Carlisi 

(President Emeritus and Managing Director at BCG Brighthouse)

This workshop offers a supportive space for faculty and staff who want to lead more efficiently and effectively. The session is designed to empower colleagues who want to begin to lead or lead with greater ease.

Facilitated by Cathy Carlisi, C'89, Managing Director at BCG Brighthouse, this session brings best practices from business and makes them relevant for Sewanee faculty and staff.  Practical approaches to building a sense of vision and purpose will bring clarity to both professional roles and goals.

Participants will explore ways to:

  • Develop a clear vision that resonates with our institutional values, inspiring a deeper sense of purpose.

  • Set intentional, achievable goals that harness individual strengths and align with the University’s strategic mission.

  • Create a realistic roadmap that supports your department and contributes meaningfully to Sewanee’s goals.

Workshop Overview:

  • Introduction: Foundational definitions of purpose, values, vision, goals, and planning, setting the context within Sewanee’s mission.

  • Personal Purpose: Reflective exercises to connect your unique strengths to Sewanee’s, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and alignment.

  • Vision: Guidance on articulating an inspiring, yet practical, vision that aligns with your academic or administrative path.

  • Goal Setting & Action Planning: Support in setting three achievable goals, identifying steps for success, and creating milestones.

  • Application & Discussion: Time to further refine your plan with feedback from the workshop leader and peers.

Workshop Leader: Cathy Carlisi, Managing Director of BCG BrightHouse, is an alumnae of Sewanee, C’89. She has spent over two decades pioneering the Purpose movement at BCG BrightHouse, playing a key role in growing its Purpose-driven processes. Throughout her journey, she has created a positive impact across industries—from financial to industrial goods (and Sewanee too!)—by collaborating with brilliant colleagues and clients to inspire cultural and strategic change globally.

"SOAR Analysis: Discover a Practical Tool for Planning with Purpose" with Donald Abels

This workshop introduces SOAR (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results), a refreshing way to set meaningful goals and plan steps forward that bring out the best in you and your team/department. Unlike traditional planning tools that focus on weaknesses, SOAR emphasizes what’s already working and what you most want to achieve, making it especially useful for academic settings where collaboration and personal growth are valued.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

  • Define goals you care about Using SOAR, we’ll identify what feels energizing and important to you, helping you set specific goals that connect with your values and aspirations.
  • Plan real steps: Learn how SOAR breaks down big visions into actionable, small steps. We’ll practice outlining steps that feel doable and bring you closer to your goals.
  • Work together with ease: SOAR invites input from everyone, making it a great approach for projects, teams, or committees. It’s a tool that values each person’s insights and strengths, building trust and cooperation.
  • See positive change in action: Whether you’re focusing on a department project, personal growth, or improving a process, SOAR offers a clear, hopeful way to create positive momentum.

Donald Abels, a facilitator trained in Appreciative Inquiry, will guide you through each part of SOAR, sharing examples and helping you start a SOAR plan of your own. This session is designed to leave you with a practical roadmap and new confidence in planning for success, together.

"Mindfulness Daily at Work" Online Course

Good leaders must be self-aware, and mindfulness practice is a tool for awareness. Mindfulness Daily at Work is a 40-day online program, presenting an in-depth training to teach you key mindfulness practices specifically targeted for the workplace. Throughout this program, you will learn to feel more present and engaged, develop your creativity and critical thinking skills, improve your health and well-being, have better relationships and interactions, and revolutionize your overall experience at work. Each session has a short talk and a short meditation, as well as guidance for bringing a practice alive throughout the day. Mindfulness Daily @ Work makes it easy to tap into an internal well of joy, satisfaction, and vitality at work, no matter what our jobs are. Registration is open and you can start any time.

Personal Growth Tools: Online Assessments

Click here for a list of online assessments to learn more about yourself and your abilities (including CliftonStrengths, Conflict Styles, Personal Values Inventory, Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, Interest Profiler, etc.)

Sewanee Colleagues Facebook Group

One of the best parts of working at Sewanee is getting to work alongside devoted and gifted colleagues. The Center for Leadership is providing venues for improved internal communication to promote unity, collaboration, and trust among colleagues. Click here to request to join (current and officially retired colleagues only, please).

Praising Up Colleagues

Give Public Recognition ("PR") to a Sewanee colleague who works either behind the scenes or in the spotlight by filling out this PRaising Up Colleagues form. Let's shine the spotlight on the many people who make a difference at Sewanee! 

Request a Workshop

To request a workshop for your team, department or class, please submit one of these forms:

Idea Incubator: "Your idea. Our support."

The Center for Leadership has designed a new process to support and elevate new and innovative ideas that will create positive change at Sewanee. If you are a faculty or staff colleague with an idea, click here to learn more and to start the ball rolling!

Questions? Contact Elizabeth Wilson at the Center for Leadership at elwilson@sewanee.edu.

Leadership Lab and Past Programs

Leadership Lab
A 9-month leadership course for Sewanee staff and faculty to elevate the leader within
Learn More
Past Programs
Check out past offerings by the Center for Leadership

 

Learn More

People

Center for Leadership Council
Council

Matt Brown- Student Life; Chris Champion- Human Resources; Abby Colbert- Office of Global Citizenship; Tammy Elliott- Print Services/Staff Partnership Council (SPC) representative; Sylvia Gray, Title IX; Karen Proctor- Executive Offices; Amy Turner- Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability; Bess Turner- Development- School of Theology; Codi Whittington- Residential Life; and Sam Young, Student Activities

centerforleadership@sewanee.edu
Elizabeth LeVieux Wilson
Director, Center for Leadership

Elizabeth LeVieux Wilson is the inaugural director of the Center for Leadership. She moved to this position after spending 13 years with Sewanee's Career Center.

elwilson@sewanee.edu