Leadership Educators Symposium
December 8-10, 2025 | University of Tampa
The Leadership Educators Symposium (an evolution of the former National Leadership Symposium) is a retreat-style experience that dives deeply into a timely leadership education topic via conversation and co-constructed learning. Participants explore the symposium topic alongside renowned scholars and approximately 30-40 other leadership educators. Program curriculum is cohort-based and highly experiential, centering dialogue principles and critical perspectives through topical lectures, workshops, and collaborative projects. NCLP has offered a symposium for leadership educators regularly since the 1990s.
Symposium is offered bi-annually in odd-numbered years, alternating with the Leadership Educators Institute (LEI) (December in even-numbered years). You have a leadership educator program to count on every December, which means more consistent connection with the leadership educator community and more straightforward professional development planning year-after-year.
Symposium is offered by NCLP in collaboration with our friends at LeaderShape, Inc., a non-profit organization well-known and respected in the leadership education community for their commitment to partnerships, programs, and initiatives to help create a just, caring, and thriving world.
THE SYMPOSIUM MODEL
True to the format of a symposium, we seek to engage the leadership education community in dialogue and exploration of a new topic each year. Curriculum is re-designed for each Symposium to center the featured topic while making space for participant input and program evolution and adjustment in real-time. Learning from the Symposium experience also helps guide conversations and initiatives hosted and supported by NCLP throughout the entire calendar year. Recent Symposium topics include:
- The philosophy and practice of co-construction as leadership educators
- Disruption by design for leadership education
- Leadership & interconnection - building critical hope and taking action
- Leadership and democratic engagement
LIBERATORY LEARNING & PRACTICE
In 2022, NCLP and the Symposium community committed to continual exploration, learning, and growth to advance liberatory pedagogy and practice in leadership education. Liberation is about expanding beyond the limits of socialized thought and behavior that perpetuate oppressive systems and inequity (Freire, 1970). Liberatory learning inspires us to think critically, freeing the mind and raising consciousness, and taking action to advance social change and transformation (hooks, 1994; Sayles-hannon, 2007). This work is ongoing for ourselves as individuals and for our institutions. As such, Symposia themes center liberation in leadership learning and development.
SCHOLARS-IN-RESIDENCE
Symposium Scholars-in-Residence are selected for their record of scholarship, practice, and community-building within the field of leadership education. Caring deeply about advancing critical leadership conversations, Symposium scholars craft a unique learning experience with and for Symposium participants each year and serve as guides through discussion, reflection, and engagement around the Symposium topic.
PLANNING TEAM
A vital source of support for Symposium scholars and participants (and experienced leadership educators themselves), the Symposium planning team includes faculty associates and volunteers from NCLP, our partner organizations, and our host campus. Planning team members facilitate the overall Symposium experience, assist Symposium scholars with curriculum planning, and handle all program logistics.
- Dr. Amy Barnes | Symposium Co-Chair | The Ohio State University
- Dr. Antron D. Mahoney | Symposium Co-Chair | College of Charleston
- Nick Martinez | Symposium Host | University of Tampa
- Grace Peterson | NCLP Program Associate | University of Vermont
- Dr. Melissa L. Rocco | NCLP Faculty Director | University of Vermont
- Kristen Young | LeaderShape Executive Director | LeaderShape, Inc.
LOGISTICS, ACCOMMODATIONS, & REGISTRATION
Plans for the 2025 Leadership Educators Symposium are underway! Be sure to check back for updates.