Mission Statement

The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program invests in young leaders who strive to make transformational contributions to society.

The Case For a Different Kind of Leader

The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program exists to create leaders who transform the world. We see a need for transformation at the system level, where challenges that we face together are increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. We see a need for transformation at the level of the group, where polarization and othering are forces that cause significant suffering and distress. And, we see a need for transformation at the level of the individual, where the endless hamster wheel of self-improvement, achievement, and personal branding is leading to severe levels of loneliness, burnout, and despair.

Our scholars have grown up in a world shaped by this current reality and they are taking their first steps into determining who they want to be in the world, what they want to do, who they will do that with, where, and how. We view the opportunity to be a Robertson as a trajectory-changing one and we invite our scholars into a different paradigm of life and leadership that shapes them during their four years as an undergraduate and well beyond. Our program is designed to give scholars an experience that prepares them to lead differently moving forward than the moves they had to make to get to us, because we see a world that is asking for a different kind of leader. We view our responsibility as one to the world around us and to our scholars, ensuring they are best positioned to lead in that world in a powerful and catalytic way.

At RSLP, we believe leadership is the individual and collective choice to change the current reality.

No matter the level of their impact, we see common patterns among the different leaders who are transforming the world at this time.

  • They are in a constant exploration of finding their agency, especially when it initially seems as if they have none.
  • They anchor in their being, or how they are showing up in the world, as a fundamental tool to support their choices, actions, and impact.
  • They cultivate habits and routines that support them to be responsive, not reactive.

Inclusivity Statement

The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment in all of its activities and operations. As such, the Program does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other factor protected by law.

The Program is devoted to maintaining a community which thrives on collaboration, represents diversity, and encourages dialogue. The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program supports intellectual freedom, promotes personal integrity, and pursues values that foster responsible leadership.