Founded in the spring of 2013, the Nerney Leadership Institute at Cabrini is dedicated to enhancing leadership skills around campus.
The institute was founded by Tom Nerney in 1977. According to executive director Maria Vizcarrondo, the institute “was the innovation of Cabrini faculty to create a leadership strategy in partnership with a lot of the activities offered on campus such as LEADStrong.”
In November 2013, Vizcarrondo was hired as the executive director of the institute.
Vizcarrondo said her job is to “try and build out the work of the Institute in three areas: student engagement, campus mission integration— integrating leadership into everything we do— and community outreach.”
Vizcarrondo also explained that a major role of the institute was to strengthen Cabrini’s leadership development pillar, claiming that it could “build up the capacity” like Cabrini has done with its other two pillars: academic excellence and social justice.
Vizcarrondo enjoys her job because it allows her to utilize her 25 years of experience as an organizational leader.
“I wanted to take that experience and help prepare the next generation of leaders at Cabrini and help students ask themselves what are the best practices of leadership,” Vizcarrondo said.
The institute hosts a variety of events such a week-long summer academy for high school students, professional development programs and e conducted workshops as part of the LEADStrong program.
Last year, they entered the Collegiate Leadership Competition. In that event, the institute trained selected Cabrini students in a 10-week boot camp in order to participate in a day-long regional competition of games and exercises around leadership.
The institute will be participating in the competition again in April of 2018. Recruitment begins in October and students who participate earn 3 academic credits.
One of the institute’s signature events is the Executive in Residence event. During this event, Cabrini invites leaders from the public and private sectors to a one-day residency on campus.
While there, they meet with students, faculty and staff to, according to the Cabrini website, discuss their leadership journal as it relates to their work and personal life.
This fall’s Executive in Residence is Sister Mary Scullion, co-founder of Project Home and homeless advocate. This event will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017, with a 3:15 keynote and 7 p.m. evening program.
According to Cabrini class of 2016 alumna and the Nerney Leadership Institute associate Brittany Sanner, the institute cultivates students as volunteers for they host throughout the semester. All they have to do is stop by the office or email someone in the office.
“We have opportunities for students to serve as use photographers, facilitators, student ambassadors and interns,” Sanner said.
One example of such volunteers is senior Paige Wagner who has worked with the institute since her sophomore year. She worked as a photographer during the Executive in Residence events and has greatly enjoyed working for them.
Wagner plans to continue helping out however she can before she graduates. She has also been considered to help with the upcoming Executive in Residence event which she is excited to do.
The institute is also celebrating its four-year anniversary. Since the institute’s establishment, a Department of Leadership and Organizational Development has been in place. The department’s faculty also plays a major role in the activities of the institute.
As of July 1, 2017, the institute has established a home in the School of Business, Arts and Media to align with the new university structure. As the university expands its reach to diverse student populations the institute has the clear intention of fulfilling its promise to strengthen Cabrini’s leadership development pillar.
“It’s a great environment in the office and outside the office. It was still an amazing experience,” Wagner said.
