Student Leadership

University students are in a powerful position to lead their peers because they are living the challenges, opportunities, and questions of this stage of life together. When students step up as leaders, they don’t need to have all the answers—they just need the courage to listen, include others, and act with integrity. Peer leadership creates spaces where voices are heard and ideas can grow, whether in classrooms, clubs, residence halls, or community projects. By leading with empathy and curiosity, students can inspire confidence in others and show that leadership is less about authority and more about service.

Encouraging students to lead their peers also helps them develop skills that last far beyond university. Collaboration, communication, and ethical decision-making are strengthened when students take responsibility for guiding and motivating those around them. Peer leaders model accountability and resilience, reminding others that growth often comes from taking risks and learning together. When universities foster this kind of student-to-student leadership, they cultivate communities that are more engaged, supportive, and ready to create positive change—on campus and well into the future.