University of Michigan Launches Customizable Leadership Certificate

University of Michigan

The M-LEAD certificate integrates existing student commitments into a cohesive multidisciplinary portfolio with personalized coaching.

AI-assisted summary of M-LEAD: The Leadership Certificate Program — original source. Check the original for full context.

Source published: 2026-08-14

Key ideas

The M-LEAD Leadership Certificate offers University of Michigan undergraduates an individualized, 'choose your own adventure' pathway to integrate leadership training across diverse academic tracks. (0:15)
Replacing traditional passive lectures, the core Foundations in Leadership course centers on action-oriented group research projects designed to implement direct campus change. (1:54)
The program connects participants to the Barger Leadership Institute's 'Learn, Leap, Lead' framework, leveraging alumni networks to bridge campus leadership with post-graduate careers. (1:54)
Rather than requiring all-new commitments, the certificate allows students to synthesize pre-existing campus jobs, community service, and extracurricular activities into a cohesive leadership portfolio. (3:35)

Detailed notes

## Background Published on YouTube by the University of Michigan on August 14, 2026, this video highlights the M-LEAD Leadership Certificate program. According to the video description, the program provides an accessible, multidisciplinary pathway for undergraduates to cultivate and showcase their leadership skills through academic study, practical training, and community engagement.

## TL;DR Undergraduate students Samantha Howden, Thomas Gala-Garza, and Aliyah reflect on their experiences within the M-LEAD Leadership Certificate, describing it as an adaptable 'choose your own adventure' pathway through the University of Michigan. The participants highlight the Foundations in Leadership course, an action-oriented seminar focused on group research and tangible campus impact rather than traditional lectures. Through intentional cohort events like fall orientations and shared dinners, students explore existential questions of personal growth and connect with alumni practicing the Barger Leadership Institute's 'Learn, Leap, Lead' framework. Ultimately, the certificate helps students synthesize their existing jobs, extracurriculars, and academic studies into a cohesive, coach-supported leadership portfolio.

## Atmosphere & style The presentation carries an earnest, reflective, and encouraging tone centered on authentic peer perspectives. Listening to the students feels collegial and introspective, capturing the lived experience of undergraduates navigating the overwhelming scale of a large university while seeking purposeful community. The narrative arc moves naturally from personal academic backgrounds to broad communal synthesis, evoking a strong sense of empowerment, mentorship, and self-directed growth.

## Bulletin - [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=15s) The M-LEAD Leadership Certificate offers University of Michigan undergraduates an individualized, 'choose your own adventure' pathway to integrate leadership training across diverse academic tracks. - [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=114s) Replacing traditional passive lectures, the core Foundations in Leadership course centers on action-oriented group research projects designed to implement direct campus change. - [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=114s) The program connects participants to the Barger Leadership Institute's 'Learn, Leap, Lead' framework, leveraging alumni networks to bridge campus leadership with post-graduate careers. - [03:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=215s) Rather than requiring all-new commitments, the certificate allows students to synthesize pre-existing campus jobs, community service, and extracurricular activities into a cohesive leadership portfolio.

## Key takeaways - [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=15s) The Leadership Certificate program attracts undergraduate students from varied academic disciplines, including economics, philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE), and biomolecular science. - [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=15s) Undergraduates navigate the challenge of balancing University of Michigan's vast opportunities with personal wellness and primary academic demands. - [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=15s) The certificate is structured as a customizable 'choose your own adventure' journey supported by an intentional peer cohort. - [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=15s) Completing the program requirements pushes participants to explore previously unfamiliar campus spaces, initiatives, and student organizations. - [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=114s) The Foundations in Leadership course departs from conventional lecture formats by focusing on experiential and collaborative coursework. - [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=114s) Students collaborate on applied research projects aimed at delivering tangible change across the campus community. - [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=114s) Integrated leadership coaching provides students with direct guidance to test and implement leadership concepts in practical settings. - [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=114s) Cohort traditions such as fall orientations and cohort dinners encourage students to examine their personal values, presence, and long-term legacy. - [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=114s) Engagement with alumni panels and graduation ceremonies illustrates the real-world application of the Barger Leadership Institute's 'Learn, Leap, Lead' model. - [03:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=215s) Interacting with peers across different departments broadens participants' understanding of how leadership functions outside their own academic specializations. - [03:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=215s) The program consolidates ongoing extracurricular activities, student employment, and community work into a validated credential accompanied by constructive feedback. - [03:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=215s) Participating students summarize the overall impact and essence of the M-LEAD Leadership Certificate as 'infinite,' 'catalyst,' and 'influential.'

## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=15s) Student Introductions and Choosing Your Own Adventure

The Leadership Certificate (LC) program draws undergraduate students from diverse academic concentrations across the University of Michigan. Samantha Howden introduces herself as a junior in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) studying economics with a minor in quantitative methods in the social sciences, alongside following the sales track at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Thomas Gala-Garza is also a junior in LSA, majoring in philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE) with a minor in business. Aliyah shares that she is pursuing a major in biomolecular science paired with a business administration minor at Ross on a pre-health track.

Navigating the vast landscape of the University of Michigan presents a recurring dilemma for undergraduates: balancing the overwhelming abundance of campus opportunities with personal wellness and daily academic commitments. The M-LEAD Leadership Certificate addresses this challenge by giving students the autonomy to design an individualized curriculum. As one student describes it, the program operates like a "choose your own adventure" leadership journey that individuals undertake in tandem with an intentional peer cohort. Working through the certificate requirements nudges students to explore previously unfamiliar campus spaces, discovering initiatives and organizations they had never encountered before and actively reflecting on the lessons learned along the way.

- **Samantha Howden**: Junior in LSA (Economics; minor in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences; Ross Sales Track). - **Thomas Gala-Garza**: Junior in LSA (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics [PPE]; minor in Business). - **Aliyah**: Major in Biomolecular Science; minor in Business Administration at Ross.

[01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=114s) Foundations in Leadership and Cohort Connections

A cornerstone of the certificate experience is the Foundations in Leadership course, which students highlight as uniquely distinct from traditional university lecture courses. Rather than relying on passive listening or purely academic testing, the class is heavily group-based and action-oriented. Students from varied disciplines and social identities collaborate directly on a applied research project aimed at creating tangible change within the campus community. The course simultaneously gives participants a testing ground to practice concepts learned through formal leadership coaching.

```mermaid flowchart TD accTitle: BLI Learn Leap Lead Framework accDescr: The three-phase leadership progression used by the Barger Leadership Institute and M-LEAD. subgraph Model ["Barger Leadership Institute (BLI) Model"] L1["Learn: Academic Foundations & Coaching"] L2["Leap: Community Action & Group Projects"] L3["Lead: Real-World Application & Alumni Impact"] end L1 --> L2 L2 --> L3 ```

Beyond coursework, the cohort structure anchors students through communal milestone events such as annual fall orientations and regular cohort dinners. Being in a cohort allows members to pursue personal paths while collectively tackling existential questions of personal growth, such as "how do you want to show up in the world and what kind of legacy do you want to leave?" These relationships persist past graduation; returning alumni visiting campus for graduation ceremonies or participating in alumni panels showcase how they translate the Barger Leadership Institute (BLI) and M-LEAD "Learn, Leap, Lead" model into real-world professional careers.

[03:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=215s) Multidisciplinary Networking and Synthesizing Campus Life

The multidisciplinary nature of the Leadership Certificate cohort serves as an expansive support network. Students encounter cohort peers across various campus venues and workshops hosted by unfamiliar schools and departments, quickly realizing that their peers share overlapping passions applied to distinct disciplines. This dynamic widens each participant's concept of what leadership looks like while establishing an interconnected campus community to lean on throughout their undergraduate years.

A major practical advantage of the certificate is how seamlessly it integrates into existing student routines. Many of the competencies and requirements needed for the certificate do not require starting from scratch; instead, they capture jobs, extracurricular activities, and community commitments students are already pursuing across Ann Arbor. The certificate framework unites those disparate efforts into a cohesive portfolio accompanied by personalized leadership coaching, structured training modules, and continuous constructive feedback. Wrapping up their reflections, the students encapsulate the essence of the M-LEAD Leadership Certificate program in three evocative words: "infinite," "catalyst," and "influential."

## Notable quotes > [00:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=15s) choose your own adventure

> [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=114s) how do you want to show up in the world and what kind of legacy do you want to leave?

> [01:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=114s) Learn, Leap, Lead

> [03:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=215s) infinite

> [03:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=215s) catalyst

> [03:35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM&t=215s) influential

## Mentioned University of Michigan, M-LEAD Leadership Certificate program, Samantha Howden, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA), Stephen M. Ross School of Business, Thomas Gala-Garza, Aliyah, Foundations in Leadership, Barger Leadership Institute (BLI), Ann Arbor

## Video description The M-LEAD Leadership Certificate program at the University of Michigan is an accessible, multidisciplinary pathway for undergraduate students to develop, apply, and showcase their leadership skills through academic learning, practical training, and meaningful leadership experiences.

In this video, hear from three Leadership Certificate students as they share their experiences in the program, how it has shaped their leadership journey, and what they have gained from being part of the M-LEAD community.

Interested in developing your leadership skills? Learn more about the Leadership Certificate program and explore how to get involved: https://mlead.umich.edu/leadership-certificate/

[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrdXhH9gWZM)

中文简报

密歇根大学推出定制化领导力证书项目 M-LEAD证书通过个性化指导，将学生现有的投入整合为连贯的跨学科成果组合。本科生Samantha Howden、Thomas Gala-Garza和Aliyah回顾了他们在M-LEAD领导力证书项目中的经历，将其描述为在密歇根大学一条适应性强的“自选历程”路径。参与者们重点提及了“领导力基础”（Foundations in Leadership）课程，这是一门注重行动的研讨课，侧重于小组研究和切实可感的校园影响力，而非传统的单向授课。通过秋季迎新和集体晚餐等精心设计的集体活动，学生们探讨个人成长的本质问题，并与践行Barger领导力学院“学习、跨越、领导”（Learn, Leap, Lead）框架的校友建立联系。最终，该证书帮助学生在导师的支持下，将他们现有的工作、课外活动和学术研究整合为一个连贯的领导力成果组合。 M-LEAD领导力证书为密歇根大学本科生提供了一条个性化、可“自选历程”的路径，以在不同学术方向中融入领导力培训。 (0:15) 核心课程“领导力基础”取代了传统的被动讲座，侧重于旨在直接推动校园变革的行动导向型小组研究项目。 (1:54) 该项目将参与者与Barger领导力学院的“学习、跨越、领导”（Learn, Leap, Lead）框架联系起来，利用校友网络连接校园领导力与毕业后的职业生涯。 (1:54) 该证书无需学生承担全新的投入，而是允许他们将既有的校园兼职、社区服务和课外活动整合为一个连贯的领导力成果组合。 (3:35)

Reading summary

The University of Michigan's M-LEAD Leadership Certificate provides undergraduates with an adaptable, cohort-based framework that integrates existing campus activities into structured leadership development. Individualized Curricula for Campus Exploration (0:15) Undergraduates at the University of Michigan frequently navigate the challenge of balancing an abundance of campus opportunities with personal wellness and academic workloads. Participants—including economics junior Samantha Howden, philosophy, politics, and economics junior Thomas Gala-Garza, and pre-health biomolecular science student Aliyah—note that the program resolves this tension by functioning as an individualized 'choose your own adventure' curriculum. This structure prompts students to explore previously unfamiliar campus organizations and initiatives while engaging in continuous self-reflection alongside an intentional peer group. Applied Learning and Cohort Connections (1:54) Central to the certificate is the Foundations in Leadership course, which replaces conventional lecture instruction with action-oriented, cross-disciplinary research projects designed to produce tangible improvements on campus. Participants also receive formal leadership coaching and engage in cohort traditions, such as annual fall orientations and shared dinners, to examine long-term personal growth and community impact. This community extends beyond graduation, connecting current students with alumni who demonstrate the Barger Leadership Institute and M-LEAD 'Learn, Leap, Lead' model in their professional careers. Synthesizing Multidisciplinary Commitments (3:35) A key operational feature of the certificate is its ability to synthesize students' preexisting commitments—including jobs, extracurricular activities, and community service in Ann Arbor—into a unified portfolio rather than requiring completely new projects. Supported by targeted training modules, leadership coaching, and ongoing feedback, this multidisciplinary environment exposes students to peers applying shared leadership values across disparate academic departments. Reflecting on the overall impact of the framework, participating students characterize the experience as 'infinite,' 'catalyst,' and 'influential.' The program emphasizes self-designed development that integrates preexisting student activities into an overarching leadership framework, though its success depends on participants actively managing self-directed exploration alongside their foundational academic studies.

Source quotes

[0:15] choose your own adventure [1:54] how do you want to show up in the world and what kind of legacy do you want to leave? [1:54] Learn, Leap, Lead [3:35] infinite [3:35] catalyst [3:35] influential

Original transcript

[0:15] I'm Samantha Howden, [0:16] and I'm currently a junior in LSA studying economics [0:20] with a minor in quantitative methods in the social sciences. [0:23] And I'm also on the sales track through Ross. [0:26] Hi, I'm Thomas Gala-Garza. [0:29] I'm a junior in LSA studying philosophy, [0:32] politics and economics and minoring in business. [0:35] Hi, my name is Aliyah. [0:37] I'm majoring [0:38] in Biomolecular Science and doing a minor in business Administration at Ross. [0:42] And I'm on the pre double track. [0:48] I think one of the biggest challenges for a student, [0:50] especially at University of Michigan, is [0:52] how do you take advantage of all these different opportunities, [0:55] but also have the time to do everything you want to do [0:58] and have time to have balance and everything like that? [1:00] So, the LC program really stood out because you can sort of create your own. [1:06] It's like a choose your own adventure, [1:08] through your own leadership journey alongside other people. [1:11] With that cohort, I think the cohort piece was especially important. [1:16] I have to [1:16] agree with this notion of trying new things. [1:21] When I was making my own path, essentially, [1:24] I was looking at all the different ways that you could meet the requirements, [1:27] and some of these programs and opportunities I didn't even know about [1:31] in the first place. [1:32] But realizing that and sort of creating my own journey there, [1:38] I started to learn about all these new opportunities, [1:41] and it was really nice to go to new places on campus while developing [1:47] and reflecting on those experiences to see what I learned about. [1:54] I think that for me, [1:56] really impactful experience was taking the Foundations and Leadership course. [2:01] I feel like it was really great for two reasons. [2:03] One, because I got to [2:04] meet so many students from different academic backgrounds, different, [2:08] social identities, and we came together to do a research project [2:11] that really was able to impact the campus community. [2:15] And I think that this experience was especially unique [2:18] because my other classes weren't like this. [2:21] They weren't as group based, as action oriented. [2:24] And it was really great to be able to apply what I was learning [2:28] with leadership coaching, and leadership to this class. [2:32] I think for me, I talked a little bit about the cohort before, but I think it [2:37] it really is very powerful to be [2:39] on this somewhat individual journey with other people, [2:43] sort of on that same path of you navigating, you know, not just career. [2:47] But also how do you want to show up in the world [2:50] and what kind of legacy do you want to leave? [2:52] And so, through a lot of the cohort activities, [2:55] I've been able to keep in touch with a lot of those people, especially [2:59] our cohort dinners and the orientation at the beginning of every year. [3:03] And some of those people that I met there are now alum. [3:07] And so some of them, [3:08] when they came back on campus for, let's say, like the graduation [3:11] or the alumni panel, it was really cool to have that connection with them [3:15] still and see how they've been able to take, [3:18] everything that they learned from the BLI and M-LEAD and the program [3:22] to that third step in what the BLI calls their Learn, Leap, Lead model [3:27] and see what they're really doing out in the real world. [3:35] I think [3:35] one of the strengths of the LC cohort is that there’s students [3:38] from so many different schools, academic backgrounds, just different ways of life. [3:43] And to be able to learn with them and learn from them was especially impactful. [3:48] I think in general, the LC cohort and the L like programs, [3:52] it was really nice to have a space on campus [3:54] to be able to come and share what I've been learning, [3:57] what other people- learn what other people have been learning. [4:01] And I really found it to be a really impactful community, [4:04] to be able to lean on through my time on campus. [4:09] Yeah. [4:09] I think to your point about so many people from the LC coming from all different [4:13] backgrounds across campus, one kind of bonus [4:18] that I've experienced from the LC program is when I go to other leadership [4:22] workshops on campus, they might be in completely [4:24] different schools from what I'm used to attending and engaging with. [4:28] I'll find other LC cohort members there. [4:31] And so it's really powerful to also notice and recognize that [4:36] these folks who are interested, and in the LC program, [4:40] are also interested in some of the same topics I'm interested in [4:43] for different applications. [4:45] And so again, going back to learning from other people's perspectives, [4:49] you really get a sense of how broad, not just [4:54] how broad your idea of leadership can be, but how broad your network can be. [5:00] I will reiterate [5:03] that so many of the things that make progress [5:07] towards the LC requirements are things that you're already engaged in on campus. [5:12] A lot of students are going to be doing work or extracurriculars [5:18] or participating in any one of the requirements for, [5:21] learning about leadership or developing those competencies already. [5:26] And it's great to just have [5:29] that opportunity to put it all into one place. [5:32] I think that the LC program has provided me with a lot of resources [5:37] to be able to cultivate my leadership skills and be able [5:41] to apply them in future with my personal professional course. [5:45] I think to be able to have access to leadership coaching, [5:49] really great training program. [5:51] So to be aligned with I think that has been super helpful. [5:54] And, it has just been a very collaborative way [5:57] developing leadership skills, [5:58] where I was also receiving feedback and guidance along the way. [6:06] Infinite, catalyst, influential.