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Eva G. & Oakley Farris Leadership Academy

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Eva G. & Oakley Farris Leadership Academy

Develop your leadership skills while being a positive change in the community.

Purpose

The Eva G. & Oakley Farris Leadership Academy is a cohort-based program for students that accelerates their development of leadership acumen and talents. It provides participants with a student-centered learning experience that exposes them to networking opportunities with local business leaders, allows them to become change agents in the local community, and to establish a personal vision and identity.
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Program Details

The program is a year-long cohort-based program that works with local business leaders, ranging from the private, non-profit and governmental sectors, to solve a real-life business problem. Students will gain the knowledge to present a solution to their proposed problem by:

  • Attending seven meetings on-campus     
  • Celebrating their achievement with a graduation ceremony

All events for this program take place on a Saturday from 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. once a month (August, September, October, November, January, February, March and April) with October being the retreat and April being the graduation ceremony. In order to receive a certificate of completion for the program, students must attend a minimum of 7 events.

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Eligibility

To be considered for participation, candidates:

  • Must have at least one year left in school
  • Must be nominated by a faculty member or past cohort member
  • Must have a GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Must have an interest in leadership

The number of spots for this program are limited to 20 students and candidates are finalized by the Academy's faculty.

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How the Academy Benefits You

As a Student:

Student being mentored
  • Establish a personal leadership vision and goals
  • Build a strong professional network
  • Gain hands-on experience with solving business problems
  • Enhanced your college experience with deeper engagement with peers and professors
  • Strengthen your resume

As a Mentor:

Brian Sedra at Leadership Academy
  • Extend your legacy as a business leader to students
  • Strengthen your impact in this region
  • Build connections with our students and the university
  • Access to a pipeline of new talent
  • Work with students to solve community problems

Director

Jaclyn Perrmann-Graham

Jaclyn Perrmann-Graham, Ph.D.

Director
Eva G. & Oakley Farris Leadership Academy

perrmanngj1@nku.edu

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Nominate a Student

Current faculty of the Haile College of Business, or previous cohort members may nominate a student to join the Eva G. & Oakley Farris Leadership Academy.

To nominate a student, please click the button below and fill out the form.

Nominate a Student

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Calendar of Events

Check back during the Fall 2025 Semester for more events.  

 

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The 2024-2025 Eva G. & Oakley Farris Leadership Academy Cohort

Students

Lyndsey Back Nathan Deininger Bitanya Adane
Rista Basnet
 Charles Gall Laney Wilbur
Carina Calderon Molly Gilkinson
 Chenille Wright
Elaine Chan Ethan Malje Marietou Yade
Sean DeGarmoe Mary Randall  

Mentors

Patrice Brooks Robert Heil Ben Mulling
Brent Cooper
 William Hoover Gina Rittinger
Kevin Donnelly Bryson Lair
 Majid Samarghandi
Jason Dunaway
 Victor Livisay Brian Sedra
Dan Groneck
 Jeff McDowell Jennifer Sheffel
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What Students Say

Zachary Suman

“The NKU Leadership Cohort has shown me what collective intelligence looks like in a professional setting. Its diverse people, diverse backgrounds, and diverse perspectives collaborating for the common good. The cohort has also led to many networking connections with great leaders around campus that I wouldn't have previously interacted with. It's been a fantastic self-development and cooperative initiative.”

Zachary Suman, Management

Mykell Marshall

“I have learned so much from being a part of the leadership academy. I have learned what kind of leader I am and the kind I want to be. I have enjoyed guest speakers, they all brought something new to the table. Also, I have learned a lot from Jaclyn, I couldn't think of a better person to lead the academy. I would recommend the academy to anyone who wants to grow as a leader and person.”

Mykell Marshall, Organizational Leadership

Wendi Cantero

“The Leadership Academy has provided an opportunity to looking into an insight on how companies may go about finding a problem and creating a long-term plan.”

Wendi Cantero, Accounting & Management

Keller McGrath

"My time in the Eva G. & Oakley Farris Leadership Academy at Northern Kentucky University was a moment I will always remember and cherish. Not only did the Academy provide me with valuable insights into what it means to be a leader, but it also provided me with the opportunity to work on a goal larger than myself. Collaborating with other NKU students to solve real-world issues was a rewarding and priceless experience."

Keller McGrath, Finance & Entrepreneurship

John Lindley

“The NKU Leadership Academy has been an engaging and fulfilling experience. It has provided me with a unique opportunity to engage with guest speakers who are experts in various fields, and with other students whose perspectives on problem solving have broadened my mind. This program has taught me a great deal about leadership and given me access to resources which have been and will continue to be invaluable in my academic and professional life.”

John Lindley, Global Supply Chain Management

Lillian Gamel

“The Leadership Academy has helped me use my passion for leading as a tool to impact our community.”

Lillian Gamel, Accounting & Human Resource Management

Benjamin Lindblad

"I have gained a much better idea of what leadership really is from the opportunities to both learn from guest speakers and exercise key qualities that I have gained."

Benjamin Lindblad, Marketing

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Contact Us

Have questions about the Eva G. & Oakley Farris Leadership Academy?

Jaclyn Perrmann-Graham, Ph.D. | Program Director | perrmanngj1@nku.edu

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