President’s Student Leadership Institute

About UMB’s Premier Student Leadership Institute

The President’s Student Leadership Institute (PSLI) is a leadership development program designed to help UMB students strengthen the knowledge, skills, and perspectives they need to lead with purpose and make a meaningful impact in their communities and professions.

Through a series of interactive learning experiences, PSLI explores leadership and professional development topics. Students have opportunities to learn from campus leaders, connect their learning to real-world challenges, and reflect on how their leadership can contribute to the public good.

PSLI is open to all students across the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s schools and programs. Students who complete the required learning experiences earn a digital micro-credential recognizing their participation and leadership development.

Whether you are already serving in a leadership role or are simply interested in becoming a more effective leader, PSLI provides a space to develop your leadership practice, connect with peers across UMB, and explore what it means to lead in ways that create positive change.

The PSLI Model

The PSLI program is organized into a three-step model. The model is non-linear, meaning that you won't always follow these steps in order but you will participate in all of these activities throughout the program. PSLI is available in-person, hybrid, and online and open to all UMB students.

Launch: Chart Your Course

Through info sessions and the opening session of PSLI, you will be introduced to the program, choose your track(s), and map your leadership development journey based on your current goals. We'll help you to set and achieve these goals based on best practices in leadership education.

Engage: Learn and Practice

Through our engaging learning sessions and Leadership Lab opportunities, you’ll learn the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that will enable you to meet your goals. Our dynamic workshops build on theory and invite you to wrestle with real-world leadership dilemmas, hear from changemakers in the field, and connect leadership concepts directly to your personal and professional goals. Leadership Labs are immersive, skill-based experiences where you can experiment with new strategies, collaborate with peers, and stretch your comfort zone in a low-stakes, high-support environment. Whether you're practicing public speaking, navigating tough conversations, or designing community impact projects, the Lab is your space to try new things, fail forward, and grow. We’ll offer a few of these Lab opportunities and support you to identify them in your own life as well.

Reflect: Celebrate and Integrate

We will support you through structured reflection to lock in your leadership learning and prepare to put that learning into action and continue to learn more. Through in-person, virtual, synchronous, and asynchronous opportunities, we will help you to reflect on your growth, articulate your learning, and recognize you for your commitment.

PSLI Tracks

Explore four tracks each with three main competency areas.

Civic and Community Engagement:

• Civic Identity and Responsibility: Understand your values and responsibilities in public life.
• Responsible Community Partnerships: Learn how to collaborate with communities ethically and respectfully.
• Public Problem-Solving: Practice designing solutions to real-world social and civic challenges using democratic tools.

Interpersonal and Inclusive Leadership:

• Self-Awareness: Recognize your own leadership strengths, biases, and growth edges.
• Dialogue and Communication: Communicate across differences with clarity, empathy, and purpose.
• Culturally Responsive Leadership: Adapt your leadership to diverse identities, values, and contexts.

Sustainability Leadership:

• Ethical Stewardship: Make decisions that prioritize people and the planet.
• Sustainable Innovation: Create bold ideas grounded in long-term impact.
• Advocacy Within Complex Systems: Influence systems-level change through informed, strategic action.

Strategic and Adaptive Leadership:

• Systems Thinking and Strategic Foresight: Understand how issues are interconnected and anticipate future needs.
• Facilitating Change Effectively: Mobilize others toward shared goals in evolving environments.
• Embracing Flexibility and Using Failure Creatively: Reframe failure as a learning opportunity and iterate on strategies in response to setbacks.