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LeBow undergraduate students participating in the Chapel Leadership Program

LeBow Undergrads Seek Community and Accountability in New Leadership Program

BY DAVID ALLEN

March 09, 2021

At the start of the 2020-21 academic year, a group of LeBow undergraduates embarked on a new opportunity to start building their leadership skills through the Chapel Leadership Program. The program pulls together academic and extracurricular activities into a formal leadership track, enabling students to build skills in self-awareness, professional adaptability, motivation, cultural awareness and communication.

“Students involved in this program are taking an active role in enhancing their leadership skills,” says Caitlin Brady, associate director of undergraduate programs & recruitment. “Through engagement and reflection, the program pushes them to exercise many of the interpersonal skills needed as a young professional entering the workforce.”

Made possible through a generous gift from R. John Chapel Jr ’67, and his wife, Jinnie, the Chapel Leadership Program is open to all LeBow undergraduate students. Each Fellow follows a plan to develop themselves as leaders throughout the course of their Drexel careers, and to hold themselves accountable to their goals as they progress toward being recognized as Chapel Leadership Scholars at their graduation. Interested students can apply to the program at any time but are encouraged to do so as early as possible to take full advantage of the opportunities available.

We asked several current Chapel Fellows to share their experiences of the program and their motivations both to participate in it and live up to its standards.

Gregory Cook, first-year finance and business analytics major

“I want to make the most out of my college experience, and the Chapel Program provides a great opportunity to develop my leadership skills and learn more about what makes a good leader. Through this program, I hope to learn how to communicate more effectively and gain more experience collaborating with a team.” – Gregory Cook, first-year finance and business analytics major

Jaaziel Cooper, first-year general business major

“The Chapel Leadership Program presented the perfect opportunity for me to pursue my interests in activities outside of the classroom. Along this journey of becoming a Chapel Fellow, I am sure that I will develop valuable relationships that will propel my professional ventures forward and form a community of like-minded individuals that push each other to succeed.” – Jaaziel Cooper, first-year general business major

Lindsey Fogarasi, first-year general business major

“Through this program, I hope to meet new people who share similar values and motives for becoming a leader at Drexel and beyond. I hope to learn from these peers while also learning how I can become a more effective leader.” – Lindsey Fogarasi, first-year general business major

Muhammad Hannan, first-year economics and finance major

“I think that the Chapel Leadership Program is a great opportunity for students like me to step out of their comfort zones. I saw it as the perfect opportunity to expand my experience at LeBow and test my capabilities while hoping to further enhance them. As a Chapel Fellow, I hope to meet people who have similar aspirations to mine and get inspired by them while also trying my best to inspire them.” – Muhammad Hannan, first-year economics and finance major

Kevin Tieu, first-year marketing major

“The Chapel Leadership Program has allowed me to make the most of my first year at LeBow, especially given that many first-year students, like myself, started college in a virtual environment not knowing exactly what to expect. With the opportunities promoted by this program, I will be able to not only get involved, but also hone key skills required for a successful academic and professional career. For example, I took part in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion case competition in November and was a second-place finalist. This was completely new and exciting for me, and not something I would have considered before becoming a Chapel Fellow.” – Kevin Tieu, first-year marketing major

Anna Valko, first-year financial economics major

“I was nervous going into Drexel as a first-year student while doing fully online courses. When I read about the Chapel Leadership Program, I knew it would motivate me to get involved and make the most of my Drexel experience. This program gives so many different opportunities for students to be part of the Drexel community.” – Anna Valko, first-year financial economics major

Kaitlin Vo, first-year finance and accounting major

“My interest in the program began when I learned about what the program stands for and its goal to help students become leaders, and I was motivated to apply in order to hold myself accountable for my overall development and leadership goals at Drexel. Making an impact — on campus, in the community and hopefully on a larger scale — is a big dream of mine, and so I look forward to participating in the additional leadership, academic and engagement opportunities.” – Kaitlin Vo, first-year finance and accounting major

Parker Woods, first-year finance major

“Since starting at LeBow in the fall, I’ve been engaged through the Global Learning Community, where I’ve met a lot of interesting people and made a lot of good friends. I want to continue pushing myself to be a better member of the LeBow community, and I like how the Chapel Leadership Program gives me tangible engagement goals to work towards. I believe the program will provide me with opportunities to take what I learn in the classroom and apply it to extracurricular challenges, helping solidify my learning and grow my understanding.” – Parker Woods, first-year finance major

Undergraduate students who are interested in joining the Chapel Leadership Program are encouraged to contact Caitlin Brady, associate director of undergraduate programs & recruitment, or can register directly through the form listed below.

Register for the Chapel Leadership Program

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