The Leadership and Society Initiative is a lifelong commitment to purpose, wellness, and societal impact that starts with a one-year fellowship at the University of Chicago.
The LSI curriculum pairs rigor and flexibility, equipping Fellows to pursue a future of enduring fulfillment and advanced leadership. LSI Fellows take courses designed to help them prepare for a new chapter of life and create a plan laying out how they will make a difference in the world.
Advanced leadership curriculum
LSI Core Curriculum
Fellows complete a core curriculum that features cohort-based, multidisciplinary courses in three themes connected to the LSI Learning Pillars:
Know oneself
Fellows apply the methods of humanistic inquiry to deepen practices of introspection, reflecting on their lives, values, approaches to leadership, and conceptions of society.
Understand the world
Fellows explore key principles and methods across academic disciplines – such as economics, sociology, political science, and history – and bring these concepts to life examining cases studies to build their analytical tool kit for understanding root causes and evaluate promising solutions for the future.
Envision the future
Fellows discern their purpose and identify concrete actions for an impactful next chapter through engaging with leading social impact practitioners and practicum experiences to discern the roles, collaborations, and efforts that will shape their next act.
As laid out in the table below, each learning pillar in the LSI method links directly to an advanced leadership course in the core curriculum:
Pillar
Course
Learning Goal
Example Topics
Know oneself
Frameworks for Reflection
Develop framework for reflection on one’s life and values
Answering the big questions World wisdom literature Practical wisdom Know your brain, know yourself
Understand the world
Lenses for Investigation
Gain lenses for investigating society and evaluating interventions
Perspectives on capitalism How to think sociologically Impact sciences The politics of law
Envision the future
Pathways to Impact
Explore diverse pathways to impact for your next chapter and craft your roadmap
Social entrepreneurship Strategic philanthropy Community-informed change Impact investing
Throughout the core curriculum, Fellows engage with faculty members who are eminent researchers and celebrated practitioners in a wide range of fields, such as business, philanthropy, journalism, and public policy. They examine topics through multiple disciplinary lenses and gain frameworks to reflect on their past experiences, discern their future purpose, analyze societal issues, and propose innovative strategies for complex problems.
“LSI represents a special opportunity for people who are thinking about that next stage of their lives because not only will they be learning in an environment like the University of Chicago, and all of the wonderful things we have to offer, but they’ll also be learning from their peers.”
Doriane Miller
LSI Academic Advisor, Professor of Medicine
Immersion Days
Twice per year, LSI Fellows are invited to participate in an immersive experience focused on a crucial social issue that is chosen to align with the group’s interests. Over two days, Fellows participate in dialogue with thought leaders and practitioners in relevant fields, working through vital questions and growing their networks.
Fellows engage with keynote speakers who are pursuing trailblazing work in their respective fields and get involved in panel discussions reflecting divergent points of view. Participants leave the experience with a deepened sense of the forces and trends shaping the issue, as well as opportunities to take meaningful action to address it.
Complete this self-reflective assessment to explore whether the UChicago Leadership and Society Initiative could be the right pathway into your next chapter of purpose.
Doriane MillerLSI Academic Advisor, Professor of Medicine
