Program: Leadership Programs
Expanded for 2026!
Last year’s launch of Leadership Week was a HIT. Sold out and waiting list only! Students, faculty, and everyone at GBPS are excited for this summer.
We’re committing TWO back-to-back weeks at Haverford College…
Two Exciting Leadership Programs:
Reasoning & Persuasive Skills for Leaders
Strategic Thinking for Leaders
Effective powers of persuasion and strategic thinking are FORCE MULTIPLIERS for life.
For an aspiring leader, acquiring strong strategic thinking, reasoning, and persuasive skills can be a breakthrough in their current education, confidence levels, maturity, and life-preparation. These leadership skills are an advantage for life in school, career, and social life.
Professor Schumacher has innovated the teaching and coaching of leadership skills across multiple disciplines and student and executive groups, most recently with MBA students at the Wharton School. He has a deep interest in teaching bright High School students knowing the impact these skills can have on emerging leaders.
Join us for one or both of two highly efficient one-week, immersive leadership programs on the campus of Haverford!
Only 6 spots left in Reasoning and Persuasive Skills for Leaders, the week of July 26.
Only 8 spots left in Strategic Thinking for Leaders, the week of August 2.
For Students Entering Grades:
On the Campuses of:
- Haverford College
Ready To Enroll?
Let's Get Started!Reasoning & Persuasive Skills for Leaders - All New!
July 26 - August 1
Following last year's hit debut, Reasoning & Persuasive Skills is back for summer 2026 and with all new content to grow and deepen skills! In this highly efficient, immersive program, participants learn to take their critical thinking and personal powers of analysis and self-expression to new peaks.
Students will learn and nurture these skills and techniques:
- to always project their own best reasoning;
- to call on the courage to do so;
- to speak persuasively and with dynamism;
- to find and create consensus;
- to understand the techniques of team building;
- to activate empathy in a group;
- to evaluate when to hold their ground, and when and how to compromise;
- to succeed by bringing others along. By letting others win too.
A unique blend of lively, skill-building seminars, active debates, and hands-on projects helps participants synthesize new skills. Fun, impromptu challenges put learning to the test, giving participants real-life practice in problem solving and thinking on their feet.
Strategic Thinking for Leaders
August 2 - August 8
Are you able "Think Big"? To see and "get" the Big Picture? Are you fascinated by strategy in sports, business, games, geo-politics? Can you summon the vision and disciplined thinking to bring a powerful idea to fruition?
In this dynamic week, Professor Schumacher will guide us as we come to deeply understand the challenges, long odds, and ultimate triumphs of real-life heroes and visionaries. Case studies, compelling historical accounts, and expert guests will inform and inspire participants as they learn what it takes to turn analysis and reason into a long-term success, a victory, a strategic win.
Students will learn these techniques and skills:
- to achieve big-picture thinking;
- to marshal the courage to pursue a lofty goal;
- to pitch an idea and lead a meeting;
- to anticipate obstacles and opportunities;
- to design a roadmap to long-term success.
Participants will flex their developing critical thinking skills for Strategy in practical applications of strategic decision-making in real-world scenarios. Interactive problem-solving exercises and a group project turn learning into action. This is a week not to be missed!
Meet Professor Leslie Rogne Schumacher
Professor Schumacher's Premises:
- For centuries, Western education included philosophy, reasoning, oratory, rhetoric, and some form of debate. These were among the basic arts and skills of educated people.
- During the second half of the Twentieth Century, the teaching of these foundational skill-sets has largely been abandoned – even in top tier schools. The loss has been enormous.
- For purposes of effective democratic governance, the arts of persuasion and compromise, civil discourse, and simply proving one’s point in everyday life, contemporary Americans have suffered a loss. They lack the skills.
About Dr. Schumacher:
Leslie Rogne Schumacher, PhD, FRSA, FRHistS is a scholar of history, leadership, and intelligence studies. He holds posts at Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, and the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Dr. Schumacher serves as an Academic Director for the Great Books Summer Program, and prior to coming to Harvard served as Director of the Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence at Wells College. From 2019 to 2021, he taught History and English at Germantown Academy, where he also served as coach of GA’s Debate Team. In recognition of his leadership in competitive debate, Dr. Schumacher was subsequently appointed to the Pennsylvania High School Speech League’s executive board. In 2017, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts for his civic engagement on immigration and refugee affairs in Philadelphia. In 2024, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in recognition of his leadership in the field and his book, Democracy and Diplomacy, Orientalism and Empire.
Join Us for Leadership at Haverford
This is the second year of GBSP Leadership Programs, and we are saving it for the last two weeks of the summer, so that any students from any prior weeks can join. However, by design, space will be extremely limited in this special program.
Please reach out soon to secure your place!
On The Campuses Of:
Haverford College
For Students Entering Grades:
9-12 (High School)One & multi-week programs available:
- July 26, 2026
- August 2, 2026
