Graduate Student Leadership Development

The Graduate School works in partnership with the Staley School of Leadership to offer leadership development training to K-State graduate students across disciplines. These experiences support graduate students in developing non-technical skills that contribute to their academic success and career preparedness. These experiences also provide an excellent opportunity for graduate students to connect and build community with peers in other disciplines.

Grad Edge cohort program

Leading Change Workshops

Leading Change workshop series

Any K-State graduate student is welcome to participate in this workshop series. Through these sessions, you will build community and be introduced to frameworks designed to help you explore the role that leadership can play in your personal and professional lives. You will develop leadership competencies that will help you work with groups, teams, and communities to create change. We will engage in reflection and explore application of leadership learning to current and future roles.

Grad Edge: Leadership Development Cohort Program

The Grad Edge leadership development program provides K-State graduate students an opportunity to push their leadership to the next level. You will develop leadership mindsets and skills to make positive change in your work, studies, student organizations, and professional roles. Through this semester-long experience, you will work with Leadership faculty and your peers to dive into challenges that are most important to you. The Staley School of Leadership and the Graduate School have created this program specifically for graduate students who want to move beyond technical expertise to solve problems.

Spring 2025 cohort program

The Spring 2025 program will be conducted in a hybrid format with in-person and virtual opportunities for participants.

The application for the spring 2025 cohort has closed.

Program learning objectives

This program is based on design principles of shared exploration (learning with others), self-reflection (meaning-making), and application (learning through practice). Through the various program elements, you will identify a relevant leadership challenge and apply concepts of adaptive leadership to find solutions. You will also:

Examine your leadership mindset
Identify and leverage your leadership strengths
Build your capacity to relate to and work with others
Explore drivers of system change
Identify opportunities to be a change agent within and beyond the university

Who may participate?

K-State master's and doctoral students from all disciplines are welcome to apply for the program. We encourage applications from graduate students with any level of leadership experience. Up to 40 K-State graduate students will be selected for participation in the cohort program (see details in the program description).

Option to attend elective workshops and optional programs only

If you are interested but cannot commit to the full program (or apply but are not selected for the cohort), the elective workshops are open to all graduate students at K-State. Details are listed below in the program description. NOTE: If you simply want to participate in some of the elective workshops, you do not need to complete the application.

Participant expectations

If accepted into the Grad Edge cohort, you must attend and participate in the following activities. All workshop times are U.S. Central time.

Two required cohort workshops

Program Kick-Off and Introduction

Program Reflection and Celebration

If you are unable to attend the Kick-Off and/or Celebration sessions in-person, please indicate this in your application. We can offer an option to join via Zoom for participants if needed.

At Least Three Elective Leading Change Workshops

Each workshop is 90 minutes and will be offered in a hybrid format that allows for in-person and virtual participation. Cohort participants should plan to attend workshops during the scheduled time, unless an exception has been made by the program facilitators. While you are required to participate in at least three workshops, you are encouraged to attend them all as your schedule permits.

Peer reading groups: "When Everyone Leads"

When every one Leads Every Grad Edge participant will receive a free copy of the book, When Everyone Leads: How the Toughest Challenges Get Seen and Solved. You will engage in facilitated reading group designed to help you make progress on personal or professional challenges. The reading group will meet three times (1 hour each) in March and April (times will be determined by group members).

Online community

Grad Edge participants will be part of a Canvas page that serves as a resource and connection point. You will have access to additional readings, videos, and resources. You will be asked to share reflections and participate in virtual discussions to support meaning-making and application of learning.

Optional developmental campus experiences

Participants are encouraged (but not required) to extend and apply their learning through campus and community activities, such as:

What Matters to Me and Why Speaker Series
Teaching and Learning Center events
Graduate Student Council professional development seminars
College and departmental events

Microcredential

Application

Applications will open in the Fall.

In the application form, you will be asked to respond to the following prompts:

From your perspective, why are leadership skills needed or valued for professionals in your field?
Share a personal and/or professional goal and describe how you expect the Grad Edge: Leadership Development Program will help you achieve your goal(s).
How do you anticipate this program will impact your ability to exercise leadership in your program, department, lab, organization, or broader communities in which you are engaged?

NOTE: If you simply want to participate in some of the elective workshops, you do not need to complete the application. If you want to be considered for the full cohort program, you must complete the application by the deadline.

Up to 40 K-State graduate students will be selected for participation in the cohort program.

Points of contact

Direct questions about the Grad Edge cohort program application process to Dr. Megan Miller, assistant director of student success, at  mmmiller@ksu.edu or 785-532-6191.
Direct questions about the Grad Edge cohort program structure and curriculum or questions about the Leading Change workshops to Dr. Mac Benavides, assistant professor, Staley School of Leadership, at mb2008@ksu.edu.