Center for Leadership and Ethics

Leader Development Programs for the VMI Community

VMI’s Center for Leadership and Ethics educates, engages and inspires the VMI Corps of Cadets, Faculty and Staff in leadership and character development and shares insights gleaned from the VMI programs with a broader national audience.  To this end, programming falls into three broad mission sets: cadet Co-Curricular Programs, Leader Development, and Strategic Engagement. These mission sets provide opportunities to develop new skills and enhance leadership learning. Through programming and instruction, the Center educates, engages, and inspires leaders who think critically, solve problems, and make ethical decisions. 

Cadet Co-Curricular Programs

Cadet Co-Curricular Programs focus on engaging and inspiring members of the Corps of Cadets. Several programs incorporate experiential learning, critical thinking, and engagement opportunities with nationally-known speakers and subject-matter experts.

Leader Development

Our Center conducts progressive professional development programs and workshops to enhance interpersonal, teaching, and leadership skills. Additionally, beginning in AY 20-21, Col. Dave Gray will serve as course coordinator for VMI’s required core curriculum leadership course - LEAD 344.

Strategic Engagement

Strategic Engagement Programs engage outside professionals, subject-matter experts, and leading practitioners as speakers during one of VMI’s conferences or as part of one of our speaker series programs.

2021 - 22 Leadership Theme

The Center for Leadership and Ethics (Center) has chosen citizen leaders as our annual leadership theme for the 2021-22 academic year. During the past 18 months, the nation has endured a deadly pandemic, a deeply divided election period, and social unrest. Our citizenry seems to be separating into preferred groups—political and social. VMI cadets are not immune to these pressures. Therefore, the Center’s programming will focus on a concept that unites us: our shared identity as American citizens.

Our strategic outreach efforts during conferences, speaker events, and on social media will highlight this identity and leading our citizens. This focus will help bring VMI’s Unifying Action Plan five outcomes to life. On social media, we will cover sub-themes of citizenship, social responsibility, honorable behavior, character and service above self, excellence, and unity. Look for this content and other programming announcements on our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn accounts.

Resources