The purpose of the Leadership Fellows Program is to enable faculty, staff, and alumni at Tech to serve as leadership coaches for Georgia Tech students. Leadership Fellows are professionally trained in leadership coaching and receive recognition for their service. Faculty and staff serve on a volunteer basis and typically take one-two Coachees per semester. As a leadership coach, you will be expected to give one to two hours per week to the coaching program.
Fellows sharpen and enhance their existing leadership and coaching skills by assisting in the development of GT students who are also eager to improve their leadership abilities. Fellows also have the opportunity to learn from their peers at monthly training sessions and other learning opportunities within the program. In this environment Fellows are able to actively reflect on their own previous leadership experiences and identify areas of improvement within themselves while developing others. The reason for becoming a Leadership Fellow is quite simple: Develop yourself while developing others.
Fellows are trained at the beginning of the fall semester, and conclude their time at the end of the following spring semester. Program participation is renewable, on a volunteer basis each year. Fellowships are awarded based on each candidate's individual leadership, civic engagement, and professional merits.
INTERESTED IN BECOMING A LEADERSHIP COACH?
AY24-25 Application Deadline
Friday, August 16th at 11:59pm
Contact our staff at leadingedge@gatech.edu if you have any questions or would like to discuss the opportunity further.
What Inspired Our Coaches to Get Involved
Quashavia Harper
Faculty Affairs Administrative Specialist
Becoming a leadership coach expands my bandwidth to engage, not just my own encounters, but others as well. Hearing amazing stories with happy or surprise endings is good, but I imagine doing life with those on their journey, advising, listening, being supportive, suggestive and engaging. All of this interaction and encouragement from an unbiased advantage is why becoming a Leadership Fellow is one accomplishment on my professional development path.
Kaleitha Johnson
Talent Development Coordinator, Department of Housing & Residence Life
I believe everyone should have the opportunity to grow, develop and transform. I am interested in helping others reach new heights through personal, career, and leadership development. Being a LEAD Fellow allows me to help participants focus on their own unique challenges and opportunities. The program allows me to also merge two of my greatest loves, coaching and leadership. Each meeting presents a chance for Coach and Coachee to get to know themselves and each other a little better. I look forward to helping students build a foundation for becoming great leaders.
Stacey Doremus
Program Director and Staff Instructor, LEAD
Ever since I was a child, I had a passion to help others. Becoming a leadership fellow allows me to walk alongside students in enhancing their essential leadership skills, overcoming challenges and increasing confidence as a leader. By empowering individuals to be the best version of themselves I believe they will, in turn, empower others along life's journey.
How My Coach Helped Me Grow
Introspection
The impact of this program has been significant not only on my leadership abilities but also on my personal growth. Through introspection, I experienced a sense of rediscovery. One significant realization was that my struggles in managing certain aspects of leadership were linked to a single key skill that I lacked. I am deeply grateful to my coach for guiding me in analyzing patterns and recognizing this crucial insight.
Confidence
I wanted to be a part of the leadership program as I wanted to work on myself and expand my leadership capabilities. Through the program, I have been able to work on my interpersonal and speaking skills, so that I can speak confidently and connect with people around me on a deeper level. I appreciate all the dedication and time my coach dedicated to my development. I highly recommend the Leading Edge Program to anyone who is interested in self improvement and becoming a better leader.
Vulnerability
Coaching has given me tools I can use to better lead, guide and interact with my employees, as well as how to deal with uncomfortable situations. I learned how to ask more open ended questions, being more vulnerable and improving my phrasing within difficult conversations.
Benefits
Enhance Your Leadership Skills
- Ongoing training and professional development throughout the year, including monthly workshops
- Learn to become a Coach-like Leader
- Supportive community to challenge ourselves to go above and beyond our perceived limitations, including peer coaching
Engage with Students
- Act as a one-on-one coach and confidant for a developing leader
- Guide others through the difficult task of self-examination and increased self-awareness
- Create unique development plans for leaders who want to improve their leadership abilities
Enrich the Campus Community
- Share valuable perspectives across colleges and departments
- Lead by example and live into our Georgia Tech values daily
- Apply essential skills to effectively lead others to reach their full potential
What are we looking for in a LEAD Fellow (Coach)?
- Demonstrate a distinguished ability to lead others in either a volunteer, academic, or professional environment
- Demonstrate a commitment to the coaching and development of young leaders
- Be willing to commit as many as two to three hours per week to program activities
- Receive approval from y to participate in the program
- Passion for developing others
- Relatable to others
- Be genuinely curious
Before applying consider the following:
- Can you tell a compelling story?
- Are you able to actively listen to others?
- Can you hold a conversation for an extended period of time?
- Do you have the ability to motivate others to overcome their fears and go outside their comfort zone?
- Can you challenge others to help them reach their full potential?