Dear students, faculty, and staff,
We are pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2025 Presidential Leadership Fellows. Current ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë sophomores and juniors are eligible for selection. During the spring 2025 semester, Fellows will join us for a series of conversations on Monday evenings 4:30–6:00 p.m.
Below is a description, along with instructions for nominations, including self-nominations. We hope you will spread the word about this opportunity for aspiring leaders from across the university.
University of Vermont Presidential Leadership Fellows
 

An opportunity for future leaders to critically examine contemporary issues, convened by Interim President Patricia Prelock


ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë is recognized for its highly engaged students. Interim President Patricia Prelock and Leahy Honors College Dean David Jenemann seek —of motivated, thoughtful sophomores and juniors for ÈÕº«ÎÞÂë Presidential Leadership Conversations (PLC). These Conversations will engage aspiring student leaders in addressing pressing and often perplexing societal challenges in a spirit of collaboration, creativity, curiosity, civility, and interdisciplinary exploration.
The Fellows and Conversations

In spring 2025, Presidential Leadership Fellows will join Interim President Prelock, Dean Jenemann, and special guests for three three-week in-depth Conversations on contemporary issues that demand the incorporation of multiple perspectives to formulate workable solutions.
The Conversations strive to instill reasoning and analytical skills that lead to the critical discernment necessary for future leaders and change agents to realize their personal, academic, and professional goals. They will provide opportunities to interact with current leaders at the forefront of today’s challenging and complex issues.
For many of the Conversations, Fellows will interact with experts from within and beyond the university to identify the conflicting perspectives of the Conversation themes, address their impact on a local and global scale, and explore evidence-based approaches and strategies.
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We invite nominations for a class of up to 12 Presidential Leadership Fellows. We seek a diverse group of nominees from every academic discipline and interest area. Nominations should speak to the student’s evidence of leadership potential, academic achievement, and commitment to community engagement and impact.
Additionally, students must be of sophomore or junior standing and have achieved a GPA of at least 3.0.


Other Activities
Fellows will attend an opening reception at which the expectations for the semester will be laid out. Then, approximately weekly, Fellows will gather for Conversation discussions and activities. At the conclusion of the Conversations, Fellows will share their reflections at a dinner hosted by Interim President Prelock. Fellows will receive appropriate acknowledgement of their participation at the end of the semester.
In addition to participating in the Presidential Leadership Conversations, Fellows will have opportunities to interact with community and university partners that expose them to leadership, research, and professional opportunities. They will also receive support from the Office of Fellowships, Opportunities, and Undergraduate Research (FOUR) to translate their experiences in the PLC into research projects, internship opportunities, and applications for national and international fellowships.
Submit nominations for Presidential Leadership Fellowships using . Nominations will be accepted through November 4. Nominated students will then be required to submit an academic transcript and letter of interest outlining their leadership experiences and goals. Self-nominees should submit these materials along with their nomination. Fellows will be notified after the Thanksgiving recess, and the Conversations will begin in January of 2025. Please note that students selected to participate will be expected to be free Mondays from 5:00–6:30 p.m. and may need to adjust their schedules accordingly.
We look forward to continuing the Presidential Leadership Conversations. Thank you for helping us identify the next generation of leaders.
Patricia A. Prelock
Interim President
David Jenemann

Patrick Leahy Honors College Dean