2. The Institute for Leadership Advancement continues to establish
itself and grow in the College of Business Administration and greater
campus community at The University of Akron. The Institute is made
possible through a generous gift from The J.M. Smucker Company and
serves to provide increased value to the student experience, which in
turn, provides a larger community impact. We see this value in many
tangible ways.
In 2013-2014, over 950 students participated in the various offerings and resources
made available through this gift, a 20% increase from the inaugural year in 2012-2013.
Over 430 Honors Students participated in leadership summits featuring young alumni speakers
representing Google, Inc., Walt Disney Imagineering, Amazon, Inc., and global-social activism.
To capstone the students’ experience, the students were invited back for an afternoon with
Mr. Richard Smucker, CEO of The J.M. Smucker Company, where they learned the importance of
“Purpose Before Profit.”
Nearly 200 students from across The University of Akron campus elected to take the Institute’s new
Personal Leadership Skills course. The course was so popular that the enrollment limit was increased
for both sections to accommodate the enthusiastic response.
Additionally, this year we celebrated several students who completed the first round of Leadership
Experience Projects (LEPs). LEPs serve as the capstone project for students who complete a variety
of experiences offered by the Institute. LEPs provide students with real project experience, real funding,
and an enhanced opportunity for teamwork, all in accomplishing a project with real implications, often
with an element of service to the community. I think you’ll enjoy reading about some of these projects
and their implications in this report.
At the Leadership Recognition Reception in April 2014, we celebrated our students’ accomplishments
along with the many students, faculty, staff, alumni, and corporate and community partners who made
this year possible.
Kevin Smith
Director,
Institute for Leadership Advancement
Director’s Message
3. In 2012, The J.M.
Smucker Company
pledged a $1million
gift to The University
of Akron College of
Business Administration.
Mr. Richard K. Smucker,
CEO, The J.M. Smucker
Company and student
during Honors Leader-
ship Summit, 2013
About the Gift
The J.M. Smucker Company holds a strong belief in corporate citizenship in
that they have a “responsibility to support – financially and in other ways –
organizations, projects, and programs that contribute to the well-being of our
communities” (The J.M. Smucker Company Corporate Responsibility Report,
2013, p. 46). This generous gift is responsible for the creation of the Institute
for Leadership Advancement, the support of its staff, and the opportunities
created, all which have a immediate and lasting impact on our students,
University, and surrounding community.
4. It takes a great team to build a great program.
Our Team
Our students, faculty, and staff work together to develop and deliver courses, programs
as well as their marketing and promotions.
Student Leadership Consultants:
The Faculty and Staff:
Pictured from left to right are: Daniel Wyock, Lexi Panppadakes,
Stephanie Noble, Kate Kosar, Alex Shannon, Brittany Eberts.
Back row: Kevin Smith, Brandon Moermond, Zach Savage.
Brittany Eberts
Administrative Assistant
An undergraduate team
of students works to develop
and promote select leadership
initiatives, which are designed
to engage the broader
student body. Two examples of
these include the Leadership
Development Groups and the
CBA Shadow Day experience.
Brittany Eberts plays an essential role in working with our students. She is responsible
for much of the Institute’s day-to-day operations, student support, student leadership
initiative budget transactions, student tracking, special initiatives, and outreach and
communication. Robb Martin and Sheri Schulte are the lead faculty in designing, deliv-
ering,and continually improving the new Personal Leadership Skills course 6100:200.
The course is a two day experience focusing on leader identification, personal aware-
ness, emotional intelligence, adapting to change, and identifying ethical dilemmas.
Robb Martin, MBA
Adjunct Faculty
Sheri Schulte, M.S.
Visiting College Lecturer
5. In 2013-2014 we called together our first “Leadership Steering
Committee” as a way to more deeply engage our faculty in
enhancing the leadership learning process for our students.
The Leadership Steering Committee is an interdisciplinary
team of faculty and staff dedicated to developing learning
outcomes, curricular, and co-curricular opportunities for
the Institute for Leadership Advancement.
Members of the Leadership Steering Committee:
a. Eric Brisker, Ph.D., Department of Finance
b. Federico de Gregorio, Department of Marketing
c. Erin Makarius, Ph.D., Department of Management
d. Maria Hamdani, Ph.D., Department of Management
e. Susan Hanlon, D.B.A., Assistant Dean, College of Business Administration
f. Colin Onita, Ph.D., George W. Daverio School of Accountancy
g. Sheri Schulte, M.S., Department of Management
h. Kevin Smith, M.Ed., Institute for Leadership Advancement, Committee Chair
The combined work of this committee resulted in a new leadership learning model
specific to the needs and priorities of The University of Akron, its students, and our
corporate and community partners.
Significant Accomplishments
Leadership For All:
Another major goal for the year was to create a program with expanded reach,
yet with more clarity and structure.
6. Our Programs
Honors Leadership Summits:
Over 430 first-year Honors students begin their college careers with inspiring words from young
UAkron Alumni who went on to amazing careers. In 2013, four UAkron graduates from the
College of Business Administration and Honors College returned to campus to challenge
first-year students to keep their minds open to new opportunities, to challenge themselves,
and to have courage.
Mr. Richard K. Smucker, CEO, The J.M. Smucker Company was greeted by 400 Honors students
during a capstone event on August 22nd.
Speakers for 2013 included:
- Aniqa Feerasta, Amazon, Inc.
- Michael Modon, Google, Inc.
- Jessica Custer, Social Entrepreneur
- Michael Honeck, Walt Disney Imagineering
- Mr. Richard K. Smucker, CEO, The J.M. Smucker Company
Highlight: The University of Akron featured the 2013 Honors Leadership Summits and interviews
with each speaker on the UAkron home web page for the first six weeks of Fall Semester!
An all-star cast of recent University of Akron College of Business Administration (CBA) graduates will return to campus
this summer. Their goal is to challenge incoming Honors students to think beyond their major and to set themselves
on a path to “Be the Next Anything!”
Doing Great Things: UA Graduates Share Their Stories
Special Executive Keynote Session and Capstone Event – Aug. 22nd
Featured Speaker: Mr. Richard Smucker, CEO, The J.M. Smucker Company
Complete List of 2013 Honors Leadership Summits Keynote Speakers:
July 26th
Aniqa Feerasta
Aug. 2nd
Mike Honeck
Aug. 9th
Jessica Custer
Social Entrepreneur
Aug.16th
Michael Modon
Aug. 22nd
Mr. Richard Smucker, CEO
THEUNIVERSITYOFAKRON
uakron.edu
COLLEGEOFBUSINESSADMINISTRATION
7. Our Programs
Personal Leadership Skills:
Personal Leadership Skills is a 1 credit hour academic
course that is offered to students of all majors. Since its
first offering in Spring Semester 2013, over 320 students
have selected this course, with 48% of those students being
from outside of the College of Business Administration.
The course is led by faculty members Mrs. Sheri Schulte
and Mr. Robb Martin, who together boast over 55 years of
management and leadership experience in the corporate
and nonprofit sectors.
This course is especially unique because of the partnership with the U.S. Army, Ohio National Guard,
and UAkron ROTC. Students who participate in the course spend the first day at Camp Ravenna,
the Joint Military Training Compound located in Ravenna, Ohio and/or the National Guard Armory in
Green, Ohio. Here, students are led through problem-solving initiatives which require them to
engage in hands-on learning, team process, all while developing a deeper sense of self awareness.
During the second day of the course, student reflect upon their experiences with the Army to
discuss leadership topics including: communication styles, emotional intelligence, team development,
adaptability and change, and ethical decision making.
Personal Leadership Skills - Global Immersion:
For Spring Break 2015, the Institute, in partnership with faculty from the Department of Management,
offered a special section of Personal Leadership Skills in the country of Italy. The course focused on
the concept of leadership as a process of innovation as seen through the lens of the Italian Renais-
sance. Students spent 9 days travelling from the U.S. through Rome and Florence Italy, seeing major
landmarks, experiencing Italian customs and culture, and participating in guided reflections of their
learning experiences.
8. Our Programs
Leadership Development Groups
The Leadership Development Group (LDG) is one of the first experiences a student will receive while
participating in the Leadership Designation Program. An LDG is a small group of 5-7 students who
meet for one hour each week to discuss various topics designed to encourage a broadened view of
leadership, self-reflection, and develop a base for a further self-understanding in relationship to oth-
ers. Each group receives a mentor who is either a faculty member or a leader in the Akron communi-
ty. Previous mentors have ranged from Professors, Vice Presidents, Chief Financial Officers, Devel-
opment Officers, Non-Profit Leaders, and more.
MBA/JD Integrity
Student Leadership Consultants
Success Beyond The Major Speaker Series
The Success Beyond the Major Speaker Series is offered each semester, featuring local executives
who share their perspectives on leadership in a small group format. The focus of the program is to
discuss those attitudes, behaviors, and choices that lead to success outside of the classroom.
Each session lasts for one hour and is followed by a small networking reception where students re-
ceive the chance to further interact with our guest speakers. The program is limited to 20 students per
session. In the Spring of 2014, the Institute piloted the program with two events, both filling to capac-
ity with students from both the graduate and undergraduate programs in the CBA as well as students
from other majors and disciplines.
Spring 2014 Speakers:
Mr. Sean Joyce, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Operations, Stan Hywett Hall and Gar-
dens
Mr. Troy Haslinger, CEO and Founder of Life Is Good No Matter What, Inc.
Dr. John J. Jewell, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, College of Wooster, and Board Member,
Life is Good No Matter What, Inc.
