Hoyas Dream Big and Work Hard in the 10th Anniversary Leadershape Program

From May 7th to May 12th, fifteen Hoyas spent an intensive week on the Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU) campus envisioning and planning how to commit their skills, passions, and dreams to make the world a better place. The week-long immersion experience was a residential leadership program organized by HBKU Student Life as an EBDA initiative, and open to students from HBKU and all partner universities in Education City. EBDA is a tailor-made program offered by the Hamad bin Khalifa University Student Center that focuses on building leadership skills in students through experience-based learning.

A dynamic community-based training opportunity, the Leadershape program increases the capacity for transformative action in future leaders. In the process, students hone their skills in time management, teamwork, and problem-solving under pressure.

Sandy Kim, Assistant Director of Student Leadership Development, volunteered her time and energy for the entire duration of the program, serving as a family cluster facilitator. “What’s really great about this program is how the immersive, week-long schedule really gives students enough time to maximize their efforts through all of the exercises, to engage with other HBKU students, and to build upon the concepts they encounter,” she said.

“Every student has to come up with a vision on how they would like to contribute to the world and what they would want to change in it. Every student also has to create a poster detailing that vision which they present to the group,” said Kim, who served in this role for the first time. “It’s really inspiring and amazing, because participants have to come up with something very tangible. We really get to explore what the concept of leading with integrity means.”

Participating Hoya Hissa Albadr (SFS-Q ’18) said, “Leadershape was such an amazing experience, I would advise any college student to go through it. The energy of the community is inspirational and contagious. It’s not every day that you get to be surrounded by such an energetic and diverse group of people so passionate about what they care about and love. It definitely recharged my energy to keep going in achieving my vision.”

After a careful selection process, a total of 40 students were accepted into the program and spent the week in HBKU’s Housing Complex. With a total of around 40 students from Education City, the fifteen Hoyas who took part made up the largest block of participants from a single institution.

Originally founded in the U.S., the leadership training program is delivered to college campuses worldwide. This year marks the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Leadershape in Education City.