The 2018-19 academic year marked the beginning of a four-year leadership track at Hampden-Sydney College (H-SC), a July college press release noted. Named in honor of the late college president, the Wilson Leadership Fellows Program endeavors to prepare the next generation of servant leaders in the mold of Lt. Gen. Samuel V. Wilson.

Officials cited that in its inaugural year, the program prepared 47 freshmen for a future of principled leadership, guiding them through a yearlong process of understanding themselves and their spheres of influence.

The release continued by stating that interest in the program is even stronger for the coming academic year, with more than 75 members of the Class of 2023 entering the college as Wilson Fellows, which will ensure them access to nationally-recognized thinkers and speakers, a four-year leadership adviser, community-building activities on campus and excursions beyond the Hill.

From their academic achievement — the 2018-19 cohort’s average GPA outperformed the freshman class average both semesters — to their extracurricular involvement in all areas of campus life, the Wilson Fellows excelled in their first year on the Hill and are poised to take on leadership positions in student government, student publications, clubs and residence life next school year, officials said in the release.

Quoted in the release was Dr. Ryan Pemberton, director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest, who said, “I can talk about the things the Fellows have been able to accomplish — all that’s well and good — but I’m even more impressed by the type of young men that they are. They’re smart, humble, hardworking, earnest and genuinely nice young men.”

The release cited that foundational goals of the Wilson Fellows Program include ethical decision-making, effective leadership for diverse contexts, active citizenship and the civil and rational exchange of ideas — goals that are accomplished in part through mentorship, community, reflection and practice.

Officials shared in the release that after an application process requiring a nomination, essay and in-person interview, Wilson Fellows arrive on campus three days before their peers for workshops and excursions centered on a guiding definition of leadership: the process by which an individual influences a group to meet an objective.

“At the Wilson Fellows orientation, I learned about cultural contexts that leaders need to consider when making decisions, the necessity of communication in developing strong followers and the critical thinking skills that being a good leader demands,” Wilson Fellow and rising sophomore Michael Van Citters said in the release. “It also gave me the opportunity to break the ice with new people even before matriculation.”

“Freshmen don’t have the opportunity to captain athletic teams or serve on the honor court, for example,” Pemberton said in the release, “but that doesn’t mean they can’t make an impact on campus, learning to lead from where they stand.”

The release noted that this principle becomes clear on their first excursion to Farmville’s Robert Russa Moton Museum, where 16-year-old Barbara Johns’ actions eventually became part of the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education that ended segregation in public schools.

“The goal is for our students to understand that they can impact those around them in a positive way no matter their formal position in the hierarchy,” Pemberton said in the release.

Officials stated that although Wilson Fellows do not receive academic credit for their participation, the program directly supports what is happening in the classroom and incorporates the principles of experiential learning at the core of the college’s new Compass initiative, which Pemberton said provides a natural framework for leadership development.

“We want the Wilson Center to be deeply embedded and engaged in all aspects of the college, and our relationships with departments across campus have been key in developing a successful program,” Pemberton said in the release.

The release concluded by highlighting that as the Wilson Leadership Fellows Program prepares young Hampden-Sydney men for a lifetime of leadership and service, the program is yet another way the college is accomplishing its mission “to form good men and good citizens.”