Community Service Project | Directory

At the beginning of the year, Leadership Vanderbilt participants divide into groups of five to six members each. These groups choose, from a list of about 20 possibilities, a consulting project on which they’ll work together outside of class for the rest of the year. The projects represent a range of University “clients,” diverse enough that each group can select a project that really interests it. By working on these projects, Leadership Vanderbilt participants develop project management skills, experience and develop skills in a cross-functional team, gain a deep knowledge about some aspect of the University and make a lasting contribution to the University.

The teams work throughout the year with the client to explore an issue of particular interest to the University. Members do research, looking at how other organizations handle similar issues, conduct surveys and bring to the project their strengths as individuals and teammates to solve a problem or improve a process at Vanderbilt. In the last Leadership Vanderbilt session of the year, the groups present their work to the rest of the class, to University leaders and administrators, including the clients who proposed the projects, and to Leadership Vanderbilt alumni. They present the client with a written report, which contains the summary of the group’s work and recommendations.

The 2003 Leadership Vanderbilt class undertook a diverse range of projects proposed by staff from across the University. Among this year’s projects:

	Design a website for Leadership Vanderbilt. Include content for people in the program and for others interested in the program, content targeted to participants and alumni, information about the program and its featured speakers, etc. Address how the website will be maintained and updated on an ongoing basis.
	Colleges and universities are seeing an increasing number of students arriving on campus who are receiving or seeking treatment for psychological problems. How can Vanderbilt address this issue?
	Find ways to increase faculty and staff interest in Vanderbilt University athletics (all intercollegiate sports, not just the "major" ones).

In previous years, groups have examined whether donor stipulations dilute an institution’s mission or strengthen it; whether merit-based or need-based financial aid is better for an institution and its students; and how research universities balance demands on faculty for scholarly research and undergraduate teaching.