The second Hartley Student Leadership Development Programme workshop took place 9-10 December in College, with nine highly motivated, talented and articulate student participants from a variety of disciplines ranging from Genomic Medicine to Global Governance and Diplomacy to more traditional subjects like PPE and Law.

The goal of the Programme is to support students in their personal development, ensuring that they are better equipped to transition successfully from College life to the wider world post-graduation so that they can better make an impact, successfully pursue their goals, and make a difference as leaders in their chosen sphere.

The Programme once again included a fascinating and lively alumni panel discussion on leadership, with Alex Baker (PPE 2003), Sabine Jaccaud (DPhil Modern English Literature 1991), Nupur Patel (French and History BA, DPhil Mediaeval and Modern Languages 2018)  and Hao Zhang (DPhil Immunology 2006), sharing their personal leadership experiences and organisational insights. Another highlight was the alumni interview panel to which participants presented their leadership credentials. Thanks here to Athena Cavounidis (DPhil Clinical Medicine 2017) and Jeremy Martin (Literae Humaniores 1987) for taking on the interviewing role. A highly-rated innovation to the Programme this year was a session on the value of mentoring and how to go about finding an inspiring mentor, given by Sabine Jaccaud in conversation with Athena Cavounidis.

The Programme is sponsored by alumna Alison Hartley (Classics 1980), who commented: “This year's highly-engaged students participating in the workshop demonstrated once again the immense talent and potential that they will bring to whichever endeavour and organisation that they will move to after graduation. I was also delighted that we could enrich the programme with the participation of so many alumni: sharing their leadership experience was once again a highlight.”

The Programme’s creator and leader, alumna Jane Jenkins (Jurisprudence 1982) said: “It is truly a privilege to work with such talented students and hear the valuable insights of alumni exploring their personal leadership stories. The experience reinforces the wonderful sense of community Lincoln provides - truly a College for life”.

The feedback from participants was very positive. One student commented: "The programme exceeded my expectations as I went into it quite unsure about a lot of things. I ended up with a lot of both theoretical and practical knowlege of leadership alongside an idea for an action plan. I particularly appreciated all the alumni who made the time to talk to us, answer questions and give feedback."

Another student said: "This year I had the privilege of attending the Hartley Leadership Course 2024. I had a very rewarding time participating in the course and learned about various styles of leadership and how to best employ these different methods in the correct setting. Additionally, the course provided a chance for introspection and self-evaluation about our own leadership styles. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the course was the alumni panel which welcomed engaging discussion amongst current leaders in various industries and my fellow participants. I had a very enjoyable time and would highly recommend any Lincolnites to take part in this course."