Dartmouth College announced on March 20 that its leadership development programs are helping undergraduates connect personal values with action throughout their academic journey. These initiatives, which begin as early as the first year, aim to build a foundation for community engagement and long-term growth.
The focus on self-knowledge and reflection is designed to prepare students for meaningful roles both within Dartmouth and beyond. Through programs like the Dartmouth Leadership Attitudes and Behaviors (D-LAB), students participate in small peer-led groups that encourage candid discussions about values, collaboration, and teamwork without the pressure of grades.
Ajayda Griffith ’27, a D-LAB student director, said, “I’m helping others work with a team, helping build other people’s skills. And that is also leadership.” Liza Lopes ’26, another student director involved in campus organizations such as the Dartmouth Alliance for Children of Color and FUERZA Farmworkers Fund, emphasized the lasting impact of these relationships: “They will remember how their facilitators made them feel, and they will remember who they can reach out to if they need a resource.”
Assistant Dean for Student Life Jenny Adams oversees D-LAB alongside the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy. Bob Coates, associate director at the Rockefeller Center said, “Before you can know how you interact with the world, you have to know your own personal philosophy.” Many participants return as facilitators or directors in later years to mentor new students while deepening their own understanding of leadership.
Leadership development continues through sophomore and junior years via offerings from the Center for Career Design—including new programs like Career and Life Design Immersion—which help translate individual values into real-world experiences using design-thinking exercises. Lopes said these skills extend well beyond campus: “The ability to identify values and take steps towards achieving your goals based on those values are things that are extremely valuable in a professional setting.”
By junior or senior year, workshops such as Legacy Summit bring together organizational leaders from Greek chapters and societies around key pillars: preparation, purpose, priorities, and planning. Hunter Preston Carlheim of Greek Life said participants were challenged to consider what legacy they want to leave behind: “In order to leave a legacy, you need to be prepared; you need to have priorities; you need to have a purpose; and you need to plan.” Chris Middelberg ’27 noted that Legacy Summit helped him set meaningful goals for his fraternity while connecting him with other leaders’ perspectives.
Griffith reflected on her experience by saying she now views leadership differently: “I definitely need to be doing something long-term that I love. I need to be doing something that really matters to me—and I’ve learned that here.”
