Want to gain leadership skills?
Students in the Zachry Leadership Program expand their perspectives and gain an appreciation for the power of collaboration and the diversity of thought!
“WHAT IS ZLP?”
Hearing this question from my friends, family, or peers always makes me smile.
As a current member of the Zachry Leadership Program, I can confidently testify that being part of this program has been the most transformative experience of my college career.
For engineering majors, gaining expansive technical knowledge is undeniably critical to success in future endeavors. However, I strongly believe that classwork expertise alone is hardly enough to fully thrive in a career. Learning how to be an authentic leader is at the heart of what creates true, impactful success; it allows you to be honest not only with yourself but with those you will work with and lead.
The Zachry Leadership Program (ZLP) is a five-semester leadership development program for undergraduate engineering students. Each semester features a different theme for a three-credit-hour course: Self-Awareness, Empathy, Creativity, Purpose, and Lifelong Learning. Through activities, discussions, and reflection time, we dive deep into each of these topics, exploring our own thoughts and actively listening to our peers’ viewpoints. We are privileged to hear from accomplished guest speakers and learn from amazing mentors and coaches. We even gain business knowledge by learning a bit about the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and value creation.
Each cohort that passes through the program is made up entirely of engineering students from a wide variety of majors and backgrounds. Traveling through the same experiences as a group for five semesters inevitably produces deep relationships, fostering an incredible support system throughout the program. As a member of Cohort G, I consider it an honor to be part of such an ambitious, intelligent group of individuals who I know will continue to be there for each other long after our time in the program. We all truly want to see each other succeed, which has been a very comforting environment to grow in. Every moment we spend together is a moment spent learning from one another and creating lifelong, lasting memories.
One of my favorite parts of ZLP is our retreats. Before each semester, the entire cohort ventures to a site away from College Station. We spend around four days and three nights bonding as a cohort while also receiving an introduction to the topic we will be exploring for the upcoming semester. We participate in plenty of activities, have insightful discussions, and spend quite a bit of time outside enjoying nature. It is always incredibly refreshing and the time to slow down and reconnect with each other is well-cherished.
I have a tremendous appreciation for the way that ZLP values interpersonal and leadership skills beyond the technical work my cohort and I are doing in our other academic courses. This program has undoubtedly given me a wealth of knowledge on how to be my best self and show up for others while also providing me with a life-long support system. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to have such a transformational experience during this growth-filled period of life.
Biomedical Engineering, Class of 2024
If you found this blog post interesting, you may consider reading “Joining an Engineering Project Team” and “Why You Should Join Professional Societies.”