2026-2027 College Catalog

Leadership

The McDonough Center for Leadership and Business

Website: https://www.marietta.edu/mcdonough-center

Dean of the McDonough Center: Amy Elliott (ace003@marietta.edu)

Administrative Coordinator: Kristi Cowdery (klc012@marietta.edu)

The McDonough Center for Leadership and Business, endowed by a gift in memory of Bernard P. McDonough, a local industrialist, has been designed to allow students to study leadership through a multi-disciplinary liberal arts perspective. The underlying theme that guides the Center’s mission is its commitment to civic engagement and the development of thoughtful leaders. A student’s participation in the McDonough Leadership Program can take several forms:

  • Minor in Leadership Studies 
  • Specialization in Leadership Studies 
  • Engineering Leadership Specialization
  • Teacher Leadership Specialization
  • Enrolling in a Leadership-designated course
  • Participating in co-curricular leadership development programs

Students pursuing a minor or specialization listed above are named McDonough Scholars. Admission to the McDonough Scholars Program is competitive. Criteria for admission into the McDonough Scholars Program include: (1) strong record of academic achievement; (2) evident record of leadership in high school and/or in the community; and (3) thoughtful and complete answers to the questions in the McDonough application form.

Students admitted into the McDonough Scholars Program described above complete a one-week EXCEL (Experience Civic Engagement and Leadership) Workshop before taking the first course in the program.