Develop the mindset and skills to lead with integrity–grounded in Jesuit values and shaped through coursework, reflection, and real-world leadership experiences.
A Journey, Not a Checkbox
Leadership isn't a single course–it's a four-year progression. Our students begin by discovering their own values, then learn to apply them within real organizations, and graduate having reflected deeply on who they've become as leaders.
Students reflect on personal values and strengths, and are introduced to the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®, beginning to develop the self-awareness needed to lead with competence, conscience, and compassion.
Watch: Inside MGMT 71Building on MGMT 71, students study how leaders translate values into action through case studies, interviews, and team projects–examining the opportunities and challenges of values-driven leadership within organizations.
A reflective capstone seminar where students integrate their leadership learning across their undergraduate education, assess their growth, and articulate how they'll continue developing as principled leaders after graduation.
"Find the person doing the math to calculate whether they belong, and answer that question before they have to ask it out loud."
Watch: Charlie's Full Address
The Birthplace of The Leadership Challenge®
The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®–taught at business schools and organizations around the world–were developed here. Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business is the institutional home of The Leadership Challenge and Barry Posner, its co-author, is a member of our own faculty.
While other universities teach this framework, our students learn it from the source–and put it into practice from their very first year on campus.
The Coursework
Three courses, required for every incoming student, that build on each other year over year–from personal reflection to organizational practice to a portfolio that ties it all together.
MGMT 71 – Foundations of Leadership
This first-year course introduces students to principled leadership through reflection on personal values, strengths, and the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership®. Students begin developing the self-awareness and practical skills needed to lead with competence, conscience, and compassion.
Required for all business majors who started at Santa Clara University after Fall 2024.
MGMT 72 – Values-Driven Leadership in Silicon Valley
Building on MGMT 71, this sophomore-level course explores how leaders translate values into action within organizations and communities. Through case studies, interviews, team projects, and direct engagement with practicing leaders, students examine the opportunities and challenges of values-driven leadership as a formal role.
Required for all business majors who started at Santa Clara University after Fall 2026.
MGMT 196 – Principled Leadership Development Portfolio
This junior- or senior-year reflective seminar invites students to integrate their leadership learning and experiences across their undergraduate education. Students assess their growth, examine how they've navigated values-based challenges, and articulate how they will continue developing as principled leaders.
Required for all business majors who started at Santa Clara University after Fall 2026.
The Framework Behind the Program
Every course in the Principled Leadership curriculum is built around the same five practices–the same ones our own faculty helped define, and that leaders around the world now use to lead with purpose.
Model the Way
Living your values, not just stating them.
Inspire a Shared Vision
Painting a picture of a better, more inclusive future.
Challenge the Process
Questioning who belongs and why, and reimagining the answer.
Enable Others to Act
Empowering the people around you to succeed.
Encourage the Heart
Recognizing and affirming the worth of every person.
Meet Our Peer Educators
Leadership Peer Educators (LPEs) are upperclassmen who've completed MGMT 71 and returned to mentor the next class of first-year students–offering support, facilitating reflection, and coaching them through the same leadership journey they once navigated themselves.
Class of 2027
Class of 2028
Class of 2028
Class of 2028
Learning From Leaders in the Field
Our Values-Driven Speaker Series brings practicing leaders directly into the classroom–connecting coursework to real careers and real decisions.
What does value-driven leadership look like under pressure? At Leavey's recent Power of Purpose event, NVIDIA executives Deb Shoquist and Allison Wagonfeld shared candid insights with 300+ undergraduates.
Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business recently welcomed students to campus for a fireside chat featuring Bryan Neider ’78, CEO of AbilityPath and former Electronic Arts executive, and Heidi Leupp ’84, Santa Clara University Trustee.
Faculty & Staff Support
Our faculty and program leadership play an active role in shaping the next generation of principled leaders. Through mentorship, guidance, and collaboration, they help students connect theory to practice and model the values of ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
Dean's Executive Professor
Chair, Accolti Professor of Leadership
Senior Program Coordinator
Assistant Professor, Management
Executive Director, Ciocca Center and Sustainable Business Institute
Lecturer, Contemporary Business Issues
Lecturer, Management and Entrepreneurship
Assistant Professor, Management
Lecturer, Contemporary Business Issues
Lecturer, Contemporary Business Issues
Lecturer, Management
Lecturer, Management
Lecturer, Management
Lecturer, Management
Lecturer, Management
Assistant Teaching Professor, Management
Put It Into Practice
Coursework is just the start. Leavey students can apply what they're learning through leadership roles and programs available from their first year on campus.
Leadership Programs
- ACE Leadership – A three-year leadership and career coaching program, application required.
- Senior Leadership Academy – Pairs graduating seniors with an alumni mentor for one-on-one coaching.
- Community Fellows Program – Paid, year-long nonprofit/government internships for juniors and seniors.
- Leavey Student Organizations – 30+ student-run organizations offering hands-on leadership experience.
Leadership Roles
- Leavey Ambassadors – Represent Leavey to prospective students and families.
- Peer Career Consultants – Senior students mentoring peers on career search skills.
- Innovation Fellows – Design-thinking program building problem-solving and teamwork skills.
See It in Action
Follow along with student stories, speaker visits, and program moments on Instagram.
Ready to lead with purpose from day one?
Learn how to become a Leadership Peer Educator
Interested in supporting the next generation of principled leaders? Support the program →