BGSU celebrates 25 years of developing student leaders through Sidney A. Ribeau President’s Leadership Academy

For more than two decades, the Sidney A. Ribeau President’s Leadership Academy at Bowling Green State University has prepared students to be servant leaders committed to making meaningful contributions in college, their careers and communities.

The achievements of the program’s more than 500 alumni and current scholars were recently celebrated in honor of the 25th anniversary of the President’s Leadership Academy. This four-year leadership development program cultivates students’ skills through engaging classes, workshops, experiential learning and community service activities.

The celebration, held July 14-15, welcomed back alumni, University dignitaries and supporters to reflect on the impact of PLA on their lives and careers and to reconnect with old friends and classmates.

The weekend celebration included campus tours led by current PLA students, networking opportunities, leadership symposium panels and an anniversary celebration dinner. The symposium featured panels with PLA alumni and BGSU President Rodney K. Rogers and BGSU President Emeritus Sidney A. Ribeau.

President Emeritus Sidney A. Ribeau (1995-2008) had a vision for the University – to prepare BGSU students to lead with integrity and make meaningful contributions to society during their student years and in their professions and communities as alumni. In 1997, Dr. Ribeau's vision became a reality with the establishment of the President's Leadership Academy. Today, over 500 PLA scholars from various disciplines and geographic locations strive to uphold Dr. Ribeau's vision.

In the fall of 1998, the first cohort of students committed to developing their leadership skills were selected for the PLA. In the spring of 2009, the University’s Board of Trustees honored the former president’s initiative by renaming the program the Sidney A. Ribeau President’s Leadership Academy. For the past 25 years, the PLA has recruited and supported BGSU students in their leadership development. 

About 22 new students are enrolled in the program annually, with 70 to 90 students matriculating yearly. Students receive a renewable scholarship that covers the cost of in-state tuition and general fees and a comprehensive curriculum grounded in the ideals of servant leadership, which emphasizes serving others first and then leading as a means of expanding service to individuals and institutions.

The President’s Leadership Academy serves as a platform for personal growth and support, offering numerous opportunities for students to broaden their knowledge of leadership, culture, interpersonal connections and self-discovery. The PLA has received national awards for the impact it has had on students and was recognized as a national best practice in student leadership development.

Students are encouraged to take on leadership roles across campus to share their experiences and cultivate lifelong learning skills with other emerging campus leaders.

Dr. Ribeau’s dream, coupled with the immense generosity of the program’s supporters, has resulted in 25 years of integrity, service, learning and credibility. 

Dr. Robert M. ’55, ‘06 (Hon.) and Dr. Ellen Bowen ’54, ‘06 (Hon.) Thompson of Plymouth, Michigan, and Boca Grande, Florida, fund scholarships, known as PLA Thompson Scholarships, for Detroit-area youth to participate in the President’s Leadership Academy as well as other scholarships. Dr. Peggie J. Hollingsworth ’71 and the late Dr. Charles B. Smith of Ann Arbor, Michigan, have provided support for the Smith & Hollingsworth PLA Scholarship Fund and numerous other BGSU initiatives and scholarships. Randy L. Gardner '81 '87, chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education, has recognized leaders who have committed themselves to a lifetime of public service and teaching through an award in his honor.

These exemplary servant leaders involved with the Sidney A. Ribeau President’s Leadership Academy have been instrumental in the program’s success.