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Calling all aspiring innovation leaders ready to Be The Difference.

Applications for Fall 2024 are now Closed

The Excellence in Leadership (E-Lead) Program will be seeking second-year sophomores from across the university for the next cohort set to begin the program in Spring 2026. Details will become available in the Fall of 2025.

In E-Lead, we’re not talking about how to embrace best practices. We’re talking about how you can think and act in different ways that create value by addressing important problems. We’re talking about becoming the innovation leader that might just change the world and in the process, change you.

We care about who you are, what you have done, and who you want to become. Some of you might be stepping into this program with various leadership experiences. For others, this may be your first time encountering the constructs of leadership. We believe everyone has the capacity to lead and you have a lot of runway ahead of you. Leadership is a lifelong journey. Our commitment is to provide you with a supportive community, relevant curriculum, and memorable experiences to help you become the leader you want to be. If you're eager to participate in a program that will challenge you to move outside your comfort zone so that you can be the next great innovation leader that our world needs, we encourage you to apply.


What You're Looking For

You're here for a reason. E-Lead may be a great match for you if:

  • You're intentional about wanting to grow as a leader.
  • You're seeking to develop confidence to realize the impact you envision.
  • You hear a small voice inside calling you forth to a larger purpose, but you aren’t sure where it's leading you or how to get there.
  • You're eager to participate in a program that will challenge you to move outside your comfort zone
  • You know you have one life and want to do something big with it.

What We're Looking For

We welcome Marquette second-year sophomores in good standing from across disciplines to apply to the program. We are particularly looking for students who:

  • Are driven and dedicated to being involved and to learning how to apply concepts related to leading oneself, leading with others, and leading innovation.
  • Are curious and want to develop creative solutions to address today’s problems with others.
  • Are aspiring passionate leaders committed to serving others and a purpose larger than themselves.
  • Are self-motivated to develop their capacity to lead people, and to lead change and to make meaningful difference in the world.
  • Are in their second year of college, not first-year students with sophomore standing.
 

What E-Lead's Alumni Say About the Program

  • I'm so much more confident, not just as a leader, but as a person, because I know myself and how to better myself that much better. It gave me such an incredible network of other leaders who are passionate about making the world a better place.
  • I think once you're in the program, you start seeing quickly that you're speaking a whole different language of leadership, and it applies to things that you're doing in the classroom, out of the classroom, and will continue to serve you for the rest of your career.
  • E-lead will help you understand how everyone can be a leader and how you yourself can make a positive impact in whatever industry or communities work you end up doing in your life.
  • The E-Lead Program is a really great program that can provide students with a good support group that you can always rely on. You're going to learn a lot of skills that you're going to use, whether in your day-to-day life, within the classroom or even professional experiences.

 

 

Fall 2024 Applications are Closed

Application Timeline - Spring 2025 Cohort

  • Information Sessions: Sophomore students who are considering applying to the E-Lead Program are strongly encouraged to attend an information session to learn more about the program, ask questions, and hear from current E-Lead participants. Students can attend one of the below information sessions:

    • Thursday, September 19th from 1:00-2:00pm (O’Brien Hall 417)

    • Monday, September 23rd from 12:00-1:00pm (O’Brien Hall 417)

    • Tuesday, September 24th from 3:30-4:30pm (707 Hub Pitch Room)

  • Monday, September 30th at 12:00pm CT: Application deadline
  • Monday, October 7th, 2024: Application status update - students will be notified if they have moved to the next stage of round robin interviews.
  • Friday, October 11th, 2024 between 5:00-7:00pm CT: Interview date and time - When notified about an interview, students will be assigned a specific 45 minute window during this timeframe.
  • Wednesday, October 16th, 2024: Notification of acceptance
  • Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024: Program overview meeting for incoming cohort (required)
  • January 7-10, 2025: The LeaderShape Institute is an immersive week-long leadership retreat (required) to be held at an off-site location. Please note that you MUST be able to attend the Institute in its entirety in order to participate in the E-Lead Program. Please check your calendars prior to applying for the program.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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Why should I apply to E-Lead?

Participation in E-Lead provides students with opportunities to:  

  • Develop leadership skills highly sought after by employers 
  • Build their professional network.  
  • Gain practical leadership experience by shadowing industry leaders and making meaning of co-op, internship, research and / or service experiences through the lens of various leadership frameworks.  
  • Be part of a community of students committed to personal growth, leadership development and making a difference in their personal and professional lives. 

How do I know if E-Lead is right for me?

In E-Lead, we’re not talking about how to embrace best practices. We’re talking about how you can think and act in different ways that create value by addressing important problems. We’re talking about becoming the innovation leader that might just change the world and in the process, change you. 

We care about what you have done and about who you want to become.  Your resume is your “what.” We want to know your “why.” If you're eager to participate in a program that will challenge you to move outside your comfort zone so that you can be the next great innovation leader that our world needs, we encourage you to apply.  

I struggle with confidence and not sure I’d call myself a leader. Should I apply? 

E-Lead exists to help you become a better leader. Growth is the intent. If you see yourself as having aspirations for greatness, but are lacking confidence in yourself as a leader or innovator, we can help you grow. This is not about who you are compared to other people, this is about who you are now and who you want to become. We believe everyone has the capacity to lead and you have a lot of runway ahead of you.

I have had a lot of leadership experiences and roles. Is this program for me?

Is your resume stacked with leadership roles and experiences? If yes, great. We believe leadership is a lifelong journey and there’s always room for growth. If you think of yourself as a leader already, our curriculum can help deepen your leadership capacity.

How do I know if I'm eligible to apply to E-Lead?

  • Enrollment as a second-year, full-time student at Marquette 

*Transfer students must have three years remaining on campus 

*AP credit does not count towards second-year standing 

  • Minimum GPA of 2.8/4.0 at time of application and maintained throughout the program 
  • Good disciplinary standing with the university at time of application and maintained throughout the program 

Isn't E-Lead just for engineering students?

No! As of 2019, E-Lead is open to all majors across Marquette. This program is open to all undergraduate students, it just happens to be housed in the Opus College of Engineering. E-Lead draws strength as an interdisciplinary program. Innovation is a team sport that requires multiple disciplines. 

Do I have to be nominated to apply to E-Lead?

No!

Is there a cost to participate in E-Lead?

Thanks to many very generous foundations and individuals who believe in developing young people's capacity to innovate and to lead, there is no additional cost to full-time undergraduate students to participate in E-Lead, other than paying for a few textbooks for courses in the program. E-Lead pays for students to participate in a variety of experiences beyond the classroom, including a week-long leadership development retreat, workshop fees and materials, travel to shadow industry leaders and several leadership behavioral assessments. We are deeply thankful to all who have contributed their financial support, time, talent and efforts to our students. 

How does the application process work?

Students interested in applying to E-Lead should complete the program application, which includes a series of short answer questions. We ask that you combine your responses to the short answer questions and your current resume in one .pdf document. After you upload this document, you will be asked to respond to some basic demographic questions and simple questions related to your eligibility for the program. 

Who can I contact if I have any questions?

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact:  

Kate Trevey, Director of Engineering and Innovation Leadership Development 
kate.trevey@marquette.edu 

Andrea Minkley, Associate Director of Engineering and Innovation Leadership Development 
andrea.minkley@marquette.edu 

Jennifer Benjamin, Associate Director of Engineering and Innovation Leadership Development 
jennifer.benjamin@marquette.edu