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Vision

The Inspired Leadership Initiative was developed for accomplished individuals from all walks of life to come to Notre Dame for a one-year program to study, discern and then launch the next phase of their lives as a renewed and richly prepared force for good in their communities and beyond.  It is important to emphasize that we define accomplished broadly to incorporate those that have risen to positions of leadership in business, non-profit and other organizations large and small and those who have distinguished themselves in education, medicine, law, religious life or similar.

ILI Fellows will be mentored and supported by Notre Dame faculty and staff as they tap into the enriching academic environment of the University. They will have a wealth of resources available to them—with a core and tailored curriculum at its center, surrounded by international engagement through Notre Dame’s Global Gateways, community engagement, and an invitation to spiritual discernment.

ILI represents Notre Dame’s first venture into "encore education"—a growing form of higher education—and is inspired by the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University and the Distinguished Careers Institute at Stanford University. Just as these pioneering programs reflect the culture of their host universities, so too will the Inspired Leadership Initiative distinctively reflect Notre Dame and its rich traditions.

With the support of Notre Dame’s President’s Leadership Council and Deans Council, ILI Fellows will learn by auditing classes, attending lectures, and engaging in student projects on campus; have student access to campus resources and activities; utilize the Notre Dame Global Gateways in places like Beijing, Dublin, Rome, London, and Jerusalem; and will have many opportunities to make a lasting impact—both for themselves and in the lives of others—through community engagement.

Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.

“Many highly accomplished leaders reach a stage in their lives when they wish to find new ways to be forces for good in their communities and in the wider world. This program will serve as a catalyst for intellectual challenge, spiritual growth, and discernment about sharing their gifts in the next chapter of their lives.”
—Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., Notre Dame President

Thomas G. Burish

“We will expose fellows to Notre Dame’s rich academic environment as they discern the next stage of their lives, and enable them to explore the issues and fundamental normative questions that are important to them. They will enrich our campus community with their vast knowledge, experience, and relationships.”
—Thomas G. Burish, Charles and Jill Fischer Provost

Endorsed and Supported by the Deans Council

Program Advisors

  • Rev. Dan Groody, C.S.C. Advisor for Discernment and Discovery and Director of the Kellogg Global Leadership Program

  • Steve Reifenberg Associate Professor of the Practice of International Development; Co-Director, Integration Lab

  • Jim Morrison Program Consultant and Assistant Provost for Strategic Initiatives

ILI Leadership Team