Major General Mary Saunders (Ret.), Executive Director
Phone: 940.898.3209
Fax: 940.898.2457
Email: jelias@twu.edu
Website: www.twu.edu/li/default.asp
Location: Stoddard Hall 103
The TWU Leadership Institute was founded in 2006 to address a national and global need for leadership in an increasingly complex global society. Our vision is to develop exceptional leaders committed to lead with integrity, accountability, and excellence. The three core values of the TWU Leadership Institute include:
- Leadership development; Leadership development includes national conferences, a speaker’s series, membership in the International Leadership Association, and Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. Our Circle has been recognized as a “Superior Circle” since 2013. We are co-sponsors of LeaderShape, a national, experiential institute intended to “identify [students] own core and personal values while developing skills to successfully work in groups and learn to accomplish a collective vision.”
- Economic security over the life-span; Women are 52% of the population in colleges and universities, law schools, and medical schools and yet they continue to experience a gender and wage gap. Women of all major racial and ethnic groups earn less than men. Women earn only 77% of every dollar earned by men performing the same work. Women represent the highest number of poor people in the state of Texas. In the Leadership Institute, we are committed to helping women make informed decisions regarding sound, financial decisions. Recently, ten students were designated Doswell Foundation Fellows, with funding by the Houston J. and Florence A. Doswell Foundation, to continue research regarding successful financial planning to attain and achieve economic security over the life-span.
- Health and wellness; The Leadership Institute partners with the annual Denton Heart Walk to raise awareness and funding for research. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. For women, this is a relatively new phenomenon among women, since heart disease and stroke now kill more women than all cancer’s combined. In addition, women are more likely to die or suffer disabling effects of heart attacks compared to men.
In addition to the Leadership Institute, a Leadership Certificate is offered through the Institute, with academic oversight by the School of Management, to all undergraduate students, regardless of major. The Certificate in Leadership is comprised of 13 hours with two required courses including Leadership Principles and Women in Leadership, two electives with approval from the Chair of the respective department, and a one-hour leadership seminar. For more information about the Leadership Institute or the Leadership Certificate, please call 940.898.3209, or visit the Leadership Institute office in Stoddard Hall 103.
(The student services and resources described are available to students currently enrolled at the University. For some services or events, a fee may be charged and/or proper TWU identification may be required. Services vary from one university site to another.)
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