Ghana program graduates 22 future leaders

The 2020 Leadership Empowerment Academy Program class. 

Release Date: July 31, 2020

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“This pandemic has highlighted the importance of leadership—and completing this program amid such challenges is something that will to contribute to the growth and development of these graduates for the rest of their lives. ”
Paul Tesluk, Dean and Professor
University at Buffalo School of Management

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Twenty-two new graduates are equipped with the leadership skills to take their careers to the next level after completing the Leadership Empowerment Academy Program (LEAP), a global collaboration between the University of Cape Coast and the University at Buffalo School of Management’s Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness (CLOE).

The socially-distanced graduation ceremony took place at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, Africa, on July 10. Representatives from UB attended virtually via video conference, including Paul Tesluk, dean of the UB School of Management, who shared graduation remarks. 

“This pandemic has brought about many challenges, but it has also brought about optimism, ingenuity, empathy, love and support,” says Tesluk. “It has also highlighted the importance of leadership—and completing this program amid such challenges is something that will to contribute to the growth and development of these graduates for the rest of their lives.” 

LEAP is a yearlong program that teaches graduate students in the University of Cape Coast about analytical thinking, self-reflection, creative problem-solving and interpersonal relationships, giving them a competitive advantage in the job market. This was the program’s third cohort of students, with 70 graduates in total. The next program begins Aug. 7.

Throughout the year, students participate in four in-person sessions, typically with three in Ghana and one in Buffalo, but that session was made virtual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants also have the opportunity to attend CLOE’s annual leadership conference.

LEAP is part of a growing portfolio of global programs available from the UB School of Management, including a slate of virtual global learning experiences scheduled for this fall. For more information, visit mgt.buffalo.edu/globalprograms

Launched in fall 2013, CLOE strives to create more effective leaders and organizations. One of the center’s key objectives is to advance research and teaching in the area of leadership and its impact on organizational effectiveness. It also supports UB 2020’s goals of accelerating academic excellence, translating scholarship and developing leadership capabilities in UB students and business leaders.

The UB School of Management is recognized for its emphasis on real-world learning, community and economic impact, and the global perspective of its faculty, students and alumni. The school also has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes and U.S. News & World Report for the quality of its programs and the return on investment it provides its graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit mgt.buffalo.edu.

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Kevin Manne
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School of Management
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kjmanne@buffalo.edu