The LEAD Program is an opportunity for students at NYU Shanghai to join a community of peers, deepen their understanding of themselves and others, strengthen their leadership and collaboration skills, and create positive change on campus and beyond.
Program applications open each fall semester. Time commitment varies from one semester to four semesters, depending on how many stages students choose to participate in.
There are four stages of participation:
Dialogue for Belonging
All participants begin their LEAD journey with a two-day immersive retreat held each fall semester. Through dialogue, reflection, experiential learning, and community engagement, students explore identity, culture, community, and belonging while engaging with diverse perspectives and lived experiences. Throughout the retreat, they examine how different identities, cultures, backgrounds, and social contexts shape people's experiences and interactions. By the end of the retreat, students have built meaningful connections, developed a deeper understanding of themselves and others, and established a strong foundation for leadership and future action.
It inspired me to think about myself again. About what privilege that I have, and rethink about the definition of 'diversity.'" -- E’jane Li ’22
I especially enjoyed the conversations about Cultural appropriation/Political Correctness because I had never considered how controversial this issue was before. It made me think more about the impact of words and the labels we attach to different groups.”-- Micah Snow ’22
Action for Belonging
At this stage, students receive support and resources to develop self-designed individual or collaborative projects that transform their reflections and interests into meaningful action. Projects may take a variety of forms, including creative works, research, storytelling, community initiatives, workshops, and other forms of engagement. Students are encouraged to explore topics that matter to them, connect with communities, and develop projects that create positive impact on campus and beyond.
Watch videos from some of the past projects and events here.
Engagement for Belonging
At this stage, students work in teams to design and implement campus-wide events and initiatives during the spring semester. Through these projects, students create opportunities for dialogue, connection, and shared learning around topics related to identity, culture, community, and social experiences. These initiatives encourage members of the NYU Shanghai community to engage with different perspectives and build stronger connections with one another.
Learn more about the past Action for Belonging projects and Engagement for Belonging events here (NYU login required).
Watch videos from some of the past projects and events here.
Leadership for Belonging
This is the final stage of the LEAD Program. Students who have actively participated in the Dialogue, Action, and Engagement stages are eligible to apply. Applicants are selected based on their demonstrated commitment, leadership potential, contributions to the community, and growth throughout the program.
During this stage, students transition from participants to student leaders. They work alongside professional staff to co-facilitate future LEAD experiences, mentor and support new participants, and contribute to the development of programs and initiatives within the Center for Student Belonging. Through this experience, students continue to strengthen their leadership skills while helping build a supportive and engaged community for future cohorts.
Email shanghai.belonging@nyu.edu to learn more about the program or get involved.