Leadership Development
What is Leadership Development?
Student Leadership & Involvement values “leadership” as a developmental process. We are here to facilitate that process for University of Utah students, whether that is by helping students identify their leadership style, develop leadership skills, or make meaning of their experiences through a lens of leadership. We believe that every student at the University of Utah has leadership potential. Regardless of academic major or career trajectory, leaders are integrated into the fabric of communities everywhere.
Brave Conversations
Brave Conversations are carefully structured discussions of controversial topics, led by trained student facilitators. Unlike a debate – where the goal is to persuade others to adopt your point of view – each Brave Conversation is an opportunity for members of the University community to better understand one another.
According to a recent survey, two thirds of Americans agree that we “can learn a lot” from those who have different perspectives and viewpoints, and 70% believe we all have a responsibility to bridge our differences. Unfortunately, we don’t have many opportunities to connect with people who disagree with us. Especially when it comes to politically charged topics, we often worry that we’ll feel unwelcome, misunderstood, or even unsafe.
In partnership with the Center for Civic Discourse and Debate, we offer three Brave Conversations each semester. Each conversation includes a free meal and is open to all students, faculty, and staff.
Upcoming Brave Conversations
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Date: 9/9/26 Start Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Peterson Heritage Center Ballroom
Co-Sponsors:
- Digital Matters @the Marriot Library
- Office of Artificial Intelligence
- One-U Responsible AI Initiative
- Office of Residence Life
- AI4U
- Philosophy Club
The proposed Box Elder data center. A tool that can accurately predict your risk of developing more than 300 diseases. Rogue agents. And that was just this summer!
We all know that AI’s impact will only grow—at school, at work, and in relationships. Come share a meal with people who have diverse opinions. What are your hopes and fears for AI, the future, and U?
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Date: 10/27/26 Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Gardner Commons 2660
Co-Sponsor: Center for Campus Wellness
What expectations about gender are there in your family, in your culture, on our campus, in your major, in your religion, in our country? Share a meal with people with diverse backgrounds and beliefs to listen, learn, and discuss.
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Date: 11/10/26 Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Hinckley Caucus Room
Co-Sponsor: The Hinckley Institute
Something both Democrats and Republicans agree on: We have a shared responsibility to engage with people whose backgrounds and viewpoints are different from our own.
Come share a meal and a structured conversation about politics, where the goal is to understand one another better and to learn from each other—not to change one anyone’s minds.
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Date: 11/17/26 Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Gardner Commons 2660
Co-Sponsor: COMM 5150 Class
A conversation about how the Lake affects Utah, and how it affects our future together. You don’t need to be a Great Salt Lake expert—come share a meal with people of all viewpoints and discuss the past, present, and future of the Lake.
Past Brave Conversations
- Is the U Hostile to Students of Faith?, ~Dr. Kings Dream
- Thinking outside of the box
- Let’s talk about gender
- Our environmental futures
- What does it mean to be a “true” American
- Money & Success
- Tell your story
- Feminism in the Workplace
- Love, Sex, and Dating
- Religion and its impacts on our lives
- Underrepresentation
- Beyond Red & Blue: Dialogue with Dignity an 2024 Election Pre-discussion
- Beyond Red & Blue: What no for the future a 2024 Election Post-discussion
- Fitting in & Fitting Out: Party Culture at the U
- Guns on Campus
- Free Speech vs. Hate Speech
ULEAD
The ULEAD Leadership & Durable Skills Cohort is a year-long leadership development experience designed to help students strengthen transferable leadership competencies while applying those skills to a meaningful campus initiative. During the first semester, participants explore the University of Utah Durable Skills Framework through experiential workshops focused on leadership identity, communication, collaboration, intentionality, creativity, and project management. Rather than learning these concepts in isolation, students immediately apply them through a semester-long capstone project.
Students will work individually and in teams to identify a campus issue or collaborate with a University department, student organization, or community partner to design an initiative that enhances the student experience. Throughout the semester, each workshop builds upon the previous session, allowing participants to strengthen their leadership skills while making measurable progress toward their capstone proposal.
The second semester transitions into a Leadership Lab model where students implement, assess, and reflect on their projects with guidance from Student Leadership & Involvement staff and campus partners.
Come join us for ULead — where leadership development and community go hand in hand. To participate, APPLY HERE!
Deadline to Apply: 9/11/26
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The first semester centers on leadership foundations, durable skill development, and preparing a collaborative capstone event or initiative that students will implement during Semester 2
- Workshop #1 - Leading with Purpose: Leadership Identity & Building Community
- Workshop #2 - Leading with Others: Communication, Collaboration & Teamwork
- Workshop #3 - Leading for Impact: Leadership, Ethical Decision-Making & Community Engagement
- Workshop #4 - Innovating for Change: Design Thinking, Creativity & Capstone Development
- Workshop #5 - From Idea to Action: Project Planning, Professionalism & Partnership Development
- Workshop #6 - Leadership Showcase: Presenting Ideas, Receiving Feedback & Preparing for Implementation
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In the spring semester, students transition into implementing their capstone initiative while continuing leadership development through mentorship, leadership labs, and project execution. The year concludes with a final showcase, reflective experience, and celebration of leadership growth.
- Leadership Lab #1 - Launching Your Capstone
- Leadership Lab #2 - Building Partnership & Professional Communication
- Leadership Lab #3 - Midpoint Leadership Coaching
- Leadership Lab #4 - Measuring Impact
- Leadership Lab #5 - Leadership Legacy
- Leadership Lab #6 - ULead Leadership Showcase
Program Benefits
Participants in the ULEAD Leadership & Durable Skills Cohort will receive:
- Direct mentorship, coaching, and support from Student Leadership & Involvement (SLI) staff.
- Funding support to attend an approved leadership conference, retreat, or professional development experience.
- Opportunities to develop leadership, durable skills, and project management experience through a collaborative capstone project.
- Connections with a network of student leaders, campus partners, and mentors across the University of Utah Community.
- Meet with the Director of SLI on a semesterly basis, in an advisory capacity, helping to provide feedback on future directions of RSO and SLI growth and support.
Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the ULEAD Leadership & Durable Skills Cohort, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate increased self-awareness regarding their values, strengths, identities, and leadership philosophy.
- Apply durable skills such as communication, collaboration, adaptability, critical thinking, and conflict management in leadership settings.
- Facilitate meaningful dialogue and engage effectively across differences.
- Design, implement, and assess initiatives that address campus or community needs.
- Build relationships and networks that contribute to personal, academic, and professional success.
- Articulate leadership experiences and transferable skills relevant to future career and civic engagement opportunities.
Participant Qualifications
To be eligible for the ULEAD Leadership & Durable Skills Cohort, students must:
- Be a current member or/and leader of a University of Utah Recognized Student Organization (RSO).
- Be currently enrolled, at least part-time as a student at the University of Utah.
- Demonstrate a commitment to personal leadership growth and active engagement withing the campus community.
Program Expectations & Requirements
To be eligible for the ULEAD Leadership & Durable Skills Cohort, students must:
- Attend all 6 ULEAD workshops facilitated by SLI staff during the 2026-2027 academic year.
- Complete a minimum of two hours per moth of study hall in the SLI Swoop Lounge (Union Building - Suite 235)
- Attend and participate in either one Brave Conversation or the Student Leadership Summit
- Collaboratively develop a leadership capstone project during the fall semester and actively participate in planning, implementation, and assessment activities of capstone project during the spring semester
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Brighton Ski Resort – Milly Chalet
Registration cost: $10.00 – We never want cost to be a barrier. We tried to keep costs as low as possible, but, if you are unable to attend due to cost reach out to the SLI office to discuss options
Transportation: Students who register to attend the event are required to ride the provided bus transit to and from the Student Leadership Summit
What to expect: Students can expect an amazing leadership development leadership with breakfast, lunch, and snacks provided. Students will be lead, in small groups by skilled facilitators, though a day of intentional an engaging activities, dialogues and presentations that are all grounded in the Social Change Model of Leadership Development.
Registration for the Fall 2026 Student Leadership Summit will open October 1, 2026
As the summit is only open to the first 80 students who sign up, we expect this event will "sell out" quickly. Please only sign up if you are committed to attending the entire event. Information about the waitlist will be shared here when the event sells out.
There is a $10 participation fee to support the program’s meals, materials, and other resources that make this full-day experience possible. Please note that refunds will not be issued for cancellations made after Monday, November 1.
Do you require accommodations to be able to fully participate in the Student Leadership Summit? Please contact [email protected] a minimum of 3 business days prior to the summit so we can arrange the necessary accommodations.
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Student Leadership & Involvement uses the Social Change Model of Leadership Development and it's 7 C's as a framework for a series of guided conversations, engaging activities, and keynote addresses.
“The Individual”: Participants will be able to identify the personal qualities (within themselves) needed to support group functioning and positive social change.
- Consciousness of self - Self-awareness of the beliefs, values, attitudes, and emotions that motivate you to take action
- Congruence - Thinking, feeling, behaving with consistency, geniuses, authenticity, and honesty in all areas of your life
- Commitment - Motivation energy that dives forward a collective effort. Commitment is connected to passion, intensity, and duration of a collective effort.
“The Group”: Participants will demonstrate skills needed for collaboration to effect positive social change.
- Collaboration - Working with other towards a common goal or effort. Collaboration is the cornerstone of group leadership efforts because it empowers self and others through building trust
- Common Purpose - Working with others in a way that elevates shared aims, values and goals. These elements enable groups to engage in collective analysis and solutions to address group goals
- Controversy with Civility - Acknowledges two fundamental reality of any group effort: 1) differences in viewpoints and perspectives are inevitable and 2) such differences must be aired openly but with civility in order to find the best solution or outcome
“Community”: Participants will be able to identify ways in which community service influences group development and strengthens individual leadership qualities towards positive social change
- Citizenship - Process in which the individual and collaborative groups become responsibly connected to the community and society through leadership efforts and experiences
View Bio
Kamaile Tripp-Harris
CHW Program Manager, University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine – Office of Academic Culture and Community
CHW Coordinator, University of Utah Health – Eccles West Valley
Kamaile Tripp-Harris is the CHW Program Manager at the University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine’s Office of Academic Culture and Community. She leads a team of Community Health Workers (CHWs) representing Utah’s populations, guiding medical students to understand community dynamics and develop tailored health interventions. Kamaile integrates CHWs into educational curricula and oversees Clinical CHWs within student-led clinics.
Previously, she provided technical assistance to Health Equity Teams across Utah, promoting community engagement and partnerships to address health disparities in underserved communities. Kamaile serves on the Board of Directors for the Utah Community Health Workers Association, advancing community healthcare statewide.
Her career spans 18 years in Mental and Behavioral Healthcare and includes time as a Hawaiian Heritage Teacher at Pacific Heritage Academy in Rose Park, Utah. Kamaile also produces and co-hosts the Island Wave Podcast, celebrating Utah’s Pacific Island community and fostering connections through shared stories.
With expertise in education, healthcare, and cultural advocacy, Kamaile's work bridges communities and supports mentorship and collaboration in every role she undertakes. She was the recipient of the 2024 CHW of the Year Award from the Utah Area Health Education Center and the 2023 Healthcare Heroes Award from Utah Business Magazine.
Most recently, Kamaile has been appointed to lead the University of Utah Health Institutional Goal to Advance the Role of Community Health Workers. In this role, she is overseeing the development of a Community Health Worker Coordination Center and community space as part of the Eccles West Valley Initiative, a transformative effort to integrate CHWs into clinical care, strengthen community partnerships, and expand culturally responsive health services in one of Utah’s most underserved regions.
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Cassie Zamora-Cathcart(she/her/ella) serves as the Director of Student Leadership & Involvement (SLI) at the University of Utah, where she has supported students since 2021 through a variety of roles and offices. In her current position, Cassie leads the dynamic SLI team in cultivating spaces where students can discover their passion, find their people, and pursue purpose—both during their time at the U and beyond graduation.
A proud fifth-generation Tejana, Cassie embraces her identity as an orgullosa y poderosa (proud and powerful) Latina leader. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Conservation Biology from Cal Poly Humboldt and a Master of Science in College Student Affairs, with an emphasis in Conflict Analysis & Resolution, from Nova Southeastern University.
Cassie is a proud sister of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Incorporated, and remains deeply engaged in the Greek-lettered community. She continues to serve in leadership roles within her siblinghood and outside of work hours, advises the Alpha Chi chapter of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc. at the University of Utah.
Outside of work, Cassie finds joy in spending time with her wife, Karina, and their two beloved fur babies, Oreo and Demi. She recharges through time outdoors, quiet moments with a good book, and the grounding presence of chosen family.
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Alexandra “Allie” Menzdorf is a proud University of Utah alum and holds a Master of Science in Curriculum Instruction & Professional Program Design from Western Governors University. She thrives in collaborative environments where she can co-create programs and trainings that align with students’ learning goals and leadership development.
Allie brings creativity and care to everything she does—from sewing and designing clothes to hiking Utah’s trails, reading across genres, and volunteering in her community. She cherishes time with her partner and family, and her two beloved guinea pigs, Rory and Remy. A Halloween enthusiast, Allie eagerly counts down the days each year and goes all out with festive decorations.
She’s excited to support Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) by building meaningful training, fostering safe and inclusive learning spaces, and helping more students connect with leadership opportunities across campus.
View Bio
Anna Nguyen was born and raised in Taylorsville, Utah, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Health, Society, and Policy from the University of Utah. Deeply rooted in her community, Anna is actively involved in several Asian American organizations across the state, including the Utah Asian Festival and OCA Asian Pacific Islander American Advocates Utah.
Outside of her advocacy work, Anna is a proud supporter of locally owned small businesses and restaurants—an unofficial #foodie always on the hunt for her next favorite spot. She also enjoys hiking Utah’s scenic trails and cozy nights binge-watching anime or the latest Netflix series.
Anna is excited to collaborate with students and student organizations to strengthen leadership development through engaging workshops, skill-building trainings, and inclusive programming that empowers students to lead with confidence and purpose.
Digital Leadership Library
Whether you are remote learning, a commuter student, or trying to find time in your busy schedule for leadership and involvement, we have a variety of virtual opportunities for you to explore and pursue. Some of these opportunities are self-paced, while others occur at a specific point in time.
Leading in Times of Uncertainty: A Conversation with Lauren Weitzman Ph.D
Let’s Talk About Leadership Podcast
The Art of Storytelling, Empathy, and Leadership
Let’s Talk About Leadership Podcast
Request A Presentation
For faculty, staff, and student advisors, scheduling an involvement presentation will help students identify the benefits of on-campus involvement, resources for getting involved, and steps to start their involvement journey. We are happy to come to your class, your department team meeting, a recruitment event, or other outreach event. These presentations take between 30-1 hour and can be adapted to your students needs. These presentations may take place in-person or virtually.
Prior to submitting a presentation request, please be aware of the following:
- Student Leadership & Involvement is a student facing office and our workshops are primarily geared towards students
- We require a minimum of six participants, unless otherwise noted (feel like this might be a barrier, email [email protected] to discuss further)
- We will work to accommodate as many requests as possible, but cannot guarantee that we will have bandwidth to fill your request. As such please note that submitting a workshop request is not a confirmation that the workshop will be scheduled.
Available Presentations
Involvement and Engagement at the U
In this primer session, learn everything you need to know to get engaged on campus and build your tapestry of involvement and support. This presentation will touch on key university offices, resources, and introduce Campus Connect where students can find their purpose, people, and passion.
Mapping Meaning
Discovering Purpose through Vision and Intention: Discover your goals and clarify your purpose in this workshop. Through guided reflection and vision board-making, you’ll create a visual roadmap to keep you inspired and intentional throughout the year. Come ready to dream big, set meaningful intentions, and leave with a vision that fuels action.
Mindful Event Planning
Designing Impactful and Welcoming Experiences for All: Consider event planning through the lens of mindfulness and accessibility. We’ll walk through real scenarios, reflect on best practices, and explore creative approaches to event design. Come ready to learn, collaborate, and leave with strategies you can put into practice right away.
Leading with Purpose
Explore best practices for transitioning your leadership and student organizations including everything from leadership handoffs, documentation, and how to leverage your leadership and involvement experiences to achieve your professional goals
Request SLI to Table at Your Event
Are you interested in have Student Leadership & Involvement table at your upcoming event? Please submit this form so we can evaluate if our team has capacity to table at your upcoming event.