Program Overview
The Live. Learn. Lead. Academy is a year-long, hands-on leadership program designed to empower undergraduate students by immersing them in leadership experiences within the Vanderbilt University and Nashville communities. This opportunity is eligible for Immersion Vanderbilt, either as an immersive experience or a culminating project (or both). This counts as a 1-credit academic course in Culture, Advocacy, and Belonging.
The Academy features a small cohort model, bringing together students from across Vanderbilt's undergraduate schools/colleges to foster collaboration, enhance leadership practices, and build strong community networks. Students engage in self-reflection and continuous learning to develop essential skills for success in their careers and communities.
This leadership academy is open to all Vanderbilt undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Mission
The Live. Learn. Lead. Academy aims to empower undergraduate students through hands-on leadership, community engagement, and radical collaboration. By pairing a pedagogical vision with immersive, real- world experiences, the Live. Learn. Lead. Academy develops leaders who demonstrate integrity in decision-making, empathy in interpersonal relationships, resilience in navigating challenge and change, and cultural humility in all contexts. The Academy cultivates leaders who are prepared to excel in their professional careers and foster meaningful collaboration and dialogue within Vanderbilt and across broader contexts.
Our History
The Live. Learn. Lead. Academy grows out of the hugely successful 2023–2024 Live. Learn. Lead. project, funded by a Vanderbilt Sesquicentennial Grant and led by Jill Stratton, assistant provost for academic support and community engagement. The original project centered on equipping female scholars and professionals with strategies to navigate conflict, enhance work–life balance, and cultivate meaningful mentorship connections. Its culminating event—the Live. Learn. Lead. Symposium—brought together more than 100 faculty, staff, and students for an impactful day of learning and connection. The symposium featured panels on conflict resolution in the workplace and resilience and well-being, presented by Vanderbilt faculty and staff, as well as a networking skills session hosted by the Wond'ry. The event received strong support from university leadership, including remarks from Provost C. Cybele Raver, Vice Provost Tiffiny Tung, and Vice Chancellor Candice Lee, and a keynote address by Vice Admiral Nora Tyson, USN, Ret., vice chair of the Board of Trust.
Following the symposium’s success and the excitement it generated across campus, the idea for a more sustained, student-centered leadership experience began to take shape. That vision became the Live. Learn. Lead. Academy—an academic-year program designed to provide undergraduates with immersive leadership development, experiential learning, and opportunities to engage with faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners.
Applications for the inaugural cohort were open to all undergraduates, where fourteen were ultimately selected, representing three of Vanderbilt’s four undergraduate schools. The inaugural cohort brought together a diverse group of student leaders involved in athletics, ROTC, student organizations, and a wide range of academic disciplines.
Today, the Academy stands as the next evolution of the original project’s momentum—transforming a grant-funded initiative into an institutionalized, 1-credit leadership program that empowers students to live, learn, and lead with purpose.