Jepson School of Leadership Studies

The Leader in Leadership

As the nation’s first-ever undergraduate school of leadership studies, the Jepson School takes "leading the way" very seriously.

That’s why we educate tomorrow’s leaders with a world-class program, preparing them for positions that drive real change in their communities and the world.

Through a rigorous curriculum, opportunities for outside experience, and support that extends far beyond their time at Jepson, our students find here a leadership journey unlike any other.

Recently named the "Jewel in the Crown" of the University of Richmond’s academics by College Gazette, the Jepson School of Leadership Studies investigates leadership not only as a position, but also as a process and a relationship among people.

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The Jepson Leadership Forum

The 2024-25 Jepson Leadership Forum presents E Pluribus Unum? The Divisions Testing American Democracy. We invite scholars and experts to discuss how division and polarization affect American democracy. Together, we will explore how and why divisions have manifested historically and currently in the United States, focusing on their impact on justice, education, politics, culture, technology, and class. Are division and the struggle to find common ground making us stronger or tearing us apart? Join us as we search for answers to this and other questions.

Professor Julian Hayter smiling toward the camera as he is being interviewed by and sitting across from Anderson Cooper. There are television cameras and lights around them.

A Faculty of Experts

Jepson faculty help students hone their leadership skills. They also hold prominent places in national and international media, providing insightful opinions and expert views on leadership and issues of the day.

Want to learn more about the Jepson School of Leadership Studies?

Kate Rezabek, '02, and Joseph Greener, '13, speaking at the 2023 Jepson EDGE Institute

Alumni Who Lead

Graduates leave Richmond with knowledge of leadership frameworks and with the critical thinking and communication skills that enable them to excel in their chosen careers.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Jepson

Scholars & Practitioners

Baughan, Henley, Zizzimia and students present at IMPACT National Conference

Elizabeth Baughan, associate professor of classics and archaeology, Lauren Henley, assistant professor of leadership studies, and Beth Zizzamia, Special Analysis Lab GIS operations manager, along with students Sydney Cameron, ’26, Alex Harry, ’26, Angela Nguyen, ’27, and Katherine Stobie, ’26, presented “Students Collaborating with Community in Richmond’s Black Cemeteries” at the IMPACT National Conference.

Wilkins publishes chapter on blood quantum

David Wilkins, professor of leadership studies, published the chapter "Moving Past the Flawed Equations of Blood and Property" in the edited volume "Beyond Blood Quantum: Refusal to Disappear" published by Fulcrum Publishing.