Leadership and Character Certificate Program Workshops

Date: September 8th, 12-1:15PM, Benson 401A/B, Lunch served. Will be recorded and available asynchronously after this date.
Facilitator: Dr. Michael Lamb, Executive Director, Program for Leadership and Character

Workshop Description:
What is character, and how can we cultivate it in meaningful and measurable ways in our work? In this interactive session, Dr. Michael Lamb introduces the foundational research and frameworks that inform character development, drawing from his work on the seven strategies of character education. Participants will explore how virtues such as honesty, courage, and compassion are cultivated through practices such as habituation, reflection, and friendships of support and accountability Using workplace scenarios and small-group discussions, attendees will reflect on their own values and identify practical strategies to support character development in their professional contexts. The session will also highlight how these strategies support Wake Forest’s mission of developing leaders of character across all areas of university life.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Understand the Theoretical and Practical Foundations of Character Development
• Integrate Character into Professional Practice
• Cultivate Reflective Practice

Follow-up Assignment:
In this follow-up reflection, participants will choose one virtue they wish to develop more intentionally and apply one of the seven strategies of character development introduced in the workshop. They will describe how this strategy can help cultivate the virtue in their personal or professional life and commit to one small, concrete action they will take over the next month to strengthen this practice.

Date: Thursday September 18th at 12pm-1:30pm, Benson 409, Lunch served.
Facilitator: Dr. Bradley Burroughs, Director of Academic, Civic and Religious Life, Program for Leadership and Character

Workshop Description: What does it mean to live and lead with integrity in a complex professional environment? This session explores the meaning of integrity and how it relates to our deeply held values, commitments, and principles. Participants will reflect on moments of ethical tension in their roles and examine how internal character and external pressures can influence one’s actions. Through case studies, structured reflection, and guided discussion, attendees will consider how to cultivate integrity and consistency in their professional lives. The session will equip participants with practical strategies for sustaining integrity amid competing priorities and evolving challenges within university life.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Cultivate Reflective Practice
• Integrate Character into Professional Practice
• Promote Ethical Leadership in Complex Environments
• Strengthen Commitment to Integrity as a Virtue

Follow-up Assignment:
Participants will write a short reflection on a situation in which their integrity was tested or challenged. They will identify the values at stake, reflect on their response, and outline one specific practice or habit they can adopt to strengthen integrity in similar situations going forward.

Date: Tuesday September 23rd, 9am – 10:30am, Benson 409, coffee and bagels served
Facilitator: Dr. Nancy Winfrey, Assistant Director of Curriculum and Pedagogy in the Professional Schools

Workshop Description: Talking about character with students and colleagues is most authentic when we have invested some time in our own character development. In this workshop we will explore self-awareness as the grounding for character development, how our principles shape our practices, and share useful tools for leveraging what you know about yourself for continued professional development.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Map and name the mile markers of your individual character development.
• Articulate your cluster of character strengths and work with a thinking partner to align who you are with the work you are currently doing.
• Practice using a “Future Map” to chart a path toward continued contextualized character development.

Follow-Up Assignment:

Building on the workshop learning tasks and conversations, participants will design their own habituating Future Map for the following 90 days, with a check-in mechanism before the Christmas break. This design can be focused on professional settings, personal situations, or general flourishing as a WFU Human.

Date: Tuesday October 7th, 12-1:30PM, Benson 409, Boxed lunch served.
Facilitator: Dr. Daniel Henry, Assistant Professor of African American Studies

Workshop Description: For decades, educators and policymakers have described a crisis of civic education in the United States, calling for further efforts and resources devoted to offering students a grounding in the fundamental values of democratic life. This workshop invites participants to consider the post-war African American freedom movement as the basis of that grounding. Participants will consider how activists and intellectuals of the era interrogated the meanings of citizenship and political community and the role these lessons can play in shaping the work of our faculty and staff at Wake Forest. Themes we engage may include ideals of sacrifice, self-determination, disobedience, leadership, receptivity, and hope.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Explore the distinct civic philosophies of the Black freedom movement and their connections to contemporary dilemmas of democratic life. 
• Examine the place of citizenship in our practices as educators and our shared ethic of Pro Humanitate.
• Develop strategies for incorporating African American civic lessons into existing and future courses, including the promises and challenges of this approach.

Follow-up Assignment:
Participants will write a reflection on one subject of our discussion of the Black freedom movement–an ideal, practice, person, anecdote, etc.–that resonates with their role(s) at the university. They will also describe one specific way they can incorporate the latter into their professional practice—whether in mentoring, administration, teaching, or program development. 

Date: October 9th 3pm – 4:30pm, Benson 409, light refreshments served.
Facilitator: Dr. Elizabeth Whiting, Scholar of Character

Workshop Description:
“When I’m in conflict with someone, how can I powerfully protect who/what I hold dear while treating my conflict partners well, like human beings deserving of respect and care?” This workshop provides attendees with conceptual and practical resources to answer that question. The thesis of the workshop is that self-aware, strategic promotion of our highest values makes it much easier to practice “humane regard” of those with whom we are in conflict; the workshop argues that savviness supports ethical engagement in conflict. This workshop will be highly introductory in nature and point participants to resources for further learning.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Understand the concepts of interests and humane regard
• Recognize how physical and emotional signals flag the presence of interests at stake in a conflict
• Recognize what interests were at stake for them in a recent conflict (participants will not be asked to share their experiences, just given a chance to apply the concept of “interests” to their own situation)
• Craft strategies to protect their interests outside of the conflict
• Craft strategies to promote their interests within the conflict
• Practice “humane regard” of a person with whom they are in conflict

Follow-up Assignment:
Participants will complete a brief written reflection identifying a recent conflict situation. They will apply the concepts of interests and humane regard to reflect on how they might approach the situation differently. Additionally, they will outline one strategy to protect or promote their interests in future conflicts and one action they will take to practice humane regard in their next challenging conversation.

Date: Monday October 13th 12pm – 1:30pm, Benson 410, lunch served.

AND: Friday October 17th 9am – 10:30am, Benson 409, coffee and bagels served.

Facilitator: Dr. Ben Rigney, JD, Associate Director of Leadership and Character in the School of Law

Workshop Description:
What does it mean to lead well, and who gets to lead? In this interactive session, Dr. Ben Rigney invites staff and faculty from across the university to explore leadership as a practice grounded in character rather than position. Participants will challenge common myths about leadership (such as the idea that it is innate, positional, or purely transactional) and discover how everyday influence, no matter your role, can reflect and cultivate core virtues like integrity, humility, courage, and justice. Drawing from leadership theory, virtue ethics, and real-world examples, the workshop will help participants reflect on their own leadership potential and consider how intentional character development can enhance trust, collaboration, and effectiveness in their work.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Understand leadership as a relational practice rooted in virtue
• Reflect on personal strengths and opportunities for character growth
• Recognize how everyday actions and influence shape ethical culture
• Explore how all staff and faculty can lead with purpose, regardless of role

Follow-up Assignment:
Participants will write a brief reflection identifying a virtue they admire in a leader they have encountered personally or professionally. They will then describe how that virtue might be expressed in their own role at the university and commit to one small action to strengthen that virtue in the coming month.

Date: Tuesday October 14th, 9:00am – 11:00am, Benson 409, coffee and bagels served.
Facilitators: Jasmine Logan, Assistant Director of Programming and Dr. Bradley Burroughs, Director of Leadership and Character in Academic, Civic, and Religious Life, Program for Leadership and Character

Workshop Description:
How can student-facing staff effectively support leadership and character development in their work with students? In this two-hour, interactive workshop, Jasmine Logan and Dr. Bradley Burroughs will introduce research-informed frameworks and practical strategies to help staff integrate leadership and character education into student programming. Participants will explore why character matters in higher education, learn proven methods for fostering virtues like empathy, purpose, and integrity, and review examples of successful character-based initiatives across campus. Through discussion, hands-on activities, and collaborative brainstorming, attendees will develop ideas to apply in their own areas of influence. The session will conclude with lunch and time for networking with colleagues interested in character-centered approaches to student development.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Understand the Foundations of Character Development
• Integrate Character into Professional Practice
• Promote Leadership and Character in Student Programming
• Build Collaborative Relationships Across Campus

Follow-up Assignment:
Participants will submit a short written reflection describing one insight or strategy they plan to incorporate into their student-facing work. They will also identify one potential collaborator on campus with whom they could partner to support student leadership and character development.

Date: Tuesday November 4th, 11-12:30PM, Benson 409, Boxed Lunch will be served.

AND: Tuesday November 11th, 11-12:30PM, Benson 409, Boxed Lunch will be served.

Facilitator: Dr. Fatima Hamdulay, Assistant Teaching Professor of Leadership and Character in Entrepreneurship

Workshop Description:
In moments of disagreement, our instinct is often to defend, withdraw, or smooth things over. Yet unspoken differences do not vanish – they quietly shape our actions and relationships in unseen ways. How, then, can we build communities of character that view difference not as a barrier to be avoided, but as an opportunity for deep understanding through skilful dialogue? This interactive workshop invites you to reimagine your work communities as learning organizations – spaces where team members grow in mutual understanding and shared purpose. You will explore the concept of balancing advocacy and inquiry as a practical tool for navigating difference, engaging in dialogue, and fostering character-centered collaboration. Blending the courage to express your own perspectives with the humility to truly listen, you will practice how to uncover the roots of disagreement, sit courageously with difference, and work towards greater mutual understanding. Ultimately, you will leave with a conversational skill set to navigate difference with openness, respect, and a broadened perspective, setting you up to lead with character, across difference.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Promote Dialogue Across Differences
• Cultivate Reflective Practice
• Integrate Character into Professional Practice
• Understand and Apply the Concept of Learning Organizations

Follow-up Assignment:
In the weeks following the workshop, participants will identify an opportunity to practise balancing advocacy and inquiry – either by remaining open to spontaneous, opportune moments, or by intentionally selecting someone in their personal or professional life with whom they hold differences (ideological, philosophical, cultural, or positional). They will invite this person into dialogue and then submit a brief written reflection on their chosen interaction – whether spontaneous or planned – describing what they learned about themselves, their character strengths, and the dialogue process through engaging in this after-workshop exercise.

Date: Monday November 10th, 12pm – 1:30pm, Benson 409, Boxed lunch served.

Facilitator: Dr. Jessica Koehler, Director of Research, Evaluation and Strategic Integration

Workshop Description:
How can we assess the impact of leadership and character development in meaningful, mission-aligned ways? How can we identify what is working well and what needs improvement? In this session designed for faculty and student-facing staff, Dr. Jessica Koehler explores strategies for identifying and embedding appropriate formative and summative leadership and character assessment into both curricular and co-curricular settings. Participants will examine assessment tools and practices that go beyond traditional academic metrics to capture growth in character-related outcomes such as integrity, empathy, and resilience and inform continuous improvement of these efforts. Through case examples, group discussion, and practical exercises, attendees will learn how to identify appropriate character goals, measure progress, and use assessment data to enhance student development and program effectiveness.

Learning Outcomes Addressed: 

• Understand Best Practices for Assessing Leadership and Character Development
• Integrate Formative and Summative Character Assessment into Curricular and Co-Curricular Programs
• Cultivate Reflective Practice Around Student Learning and Growth
• Align Assessment Strategies with Institutional Mission and Program Goals When Possible

Follow-up Assignment:

Participants will complete a brief written plan outlining one character-related learning outcome relevant to their course or program. They will describe how they might assess that outcome, including one direct or indirect assessment method and how they would use the results to inform future teaching or programming.

Date: Tuesday December 9th, 9am – 10:30am, Benson 409, coffee and bagels served.
Facilitator: Jasmine Logan, Assistant Director of Programming

Workshop Description:
What if you could reflect on your year—not just through words, but through play? In this hands-on, reflective workshop, Jasmine Logan uses Lego® Serious Play®, a facilitation methodology designed to deepen thinking and dialogue, to help participants explore the virtues they embodied—and those they underutilized—in the past year. Through guided building exercises and reflective prompts, attendees will identify key moments in their professional or personal lives where virtues such as resilience, patience, courage, or humility shaped their responses. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how these virtues show up in their work and how they might intentionally cultivate them going forward. No prior Lego experience needed—just a willingness to build, reflect, and share.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Cultivate Reflective Practice
  Integrate Character into Professional Practice
• Identify Virtues Relevant to Professional Growth
  

Follow-up Assignment:
Participants will complete a brief written or visual reflection identifying one virtue they leaned into most this past year and one they would like to strengthen in the coming months. They will describe one specific action they can take to intentionally cultivate this virtue in their current work context.

Date: Thursday January 22nd from 12 – 1:30pm, Benson 409, lunch served.

Facilitator: Dr. Christian Miller, A.C. Reid Professor of Philosophy, Wake Forest University

Workshop Description:
What does it really mean to be an honest person—and how honest are we, really? In this engaging session, Dr. Christian Miller draws on findings from moral psychology and his own research to challenge common assumptions about honesty in everyday life. Participants will explore the gap between ideals and behaviors, examining how character traits, workplace pressures, and institutional culture can influence our willingness to speak the truth, admit mistakes, or act transparently. Through discussion, self-reflection, and practical examples, attendees will gain tools for cultivating greater honesty and building a culture of trust in their professional contexts. The session will support deeper integrity and more authentic leadership across roles and responsibilities within the university.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Understand the psychological and environmental influences on honest behavior
• Cultivate Reflective Practice
• Integrate Honesty as a Core Virtue in Professional Practice
• Promote Trust and Transparency in the Workplace
  

Follow-up Assignment:
Participants will complete a written reflection exploring a recent situation in which honesty was challenged—either through omission, pressure, or complexity. They will identify the factors that influenced the situation and propose one concrete step they can take to strengthen honesty and integrity in similar future contexts.

Building Bridges: Engaging Religious and Cultural Differences with Respect
Date: Tuesday January 20th at 9AM, Benson 409, coffee and bagels will be served
Facilitator: Eranda Jayawickreme, Harold W. Tribble Professor of Psychology and Juliette Ratchford, Assistant Research Professor, Department of Psychology

Workshop Description:
In a world of deep differences across faiths, cultures, and worldviews, respectful engagement in our personal and professional lives requires more than “live and let live.” Drawing on a research-based model of covenantal pluralism—which moves beyond an “arms-length” approach to a deep commitment to dialogue, engagement, and cooperation—this 90-minute workshop unpacks the capacities and motivations that help people progress from initial objection to tolerance and, ultimately, active relationship-building. We’ll explore how virtues such as humility, curiosity, compassion, trust, and courage support constructive engagement without ignoring or downplaying real differences. Using examples from campuses, civic and faith communities, and workplaces, we’ll consider practical tools for recognizing shared ground, evaluating “the other side’s” arguments fairly, and building habits that protect dignity while enabling collaboration.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Promote Dialogue Across Differences
• Integrate Character into Professional Practice
• Cultivate Reflective Practice

Follow-up Assignment:

Within the month following the workshop, participants will identify a professional context where cultural, religious, or personal differences may influence team dynamics, decision-making, or communication. They will intentionally engage in a conversation that applies the virtues discussed in the session and submit a short reflection describing the situation, how they approached it, and what they learned about themselves, their character strengths, and fostering inclusive dialogue at work.

Date: TBD!

Facilitator: Dr. William B. Cochran, Associate Teaching Professor of Computer Science

Workshop Description:
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives, how does our interaction with these technologies affect our character development? This workshop examines the intersection of AI and virtue formation through the lens of established character development strategies. Drawing on Michael Lamb and colleagues’ seven evidence-based strategies for character development, participants will explore how AI can both support and undermine the cultivation of virtues like wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance. Through interactive discussions and hands-on exercises, we’ll investigate whether our digital tools are making us more virtuous—or less so—and what we can do to harness AI’s potential for positive character formation. Time permitting, we’ll also consider the intriguing question of whether, or to what extent, AI systems themselves might develop something analogous to virtue.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Apply the seven strategies for character development to evaluate AI’s impact on virtue formation
• Identify specific ways AI tools in their professional/personal contexts either support or hinder character development
• Develop practical approaches for using AI in ways that align with virtue cultivation
• Articulate the potential and limitations of AI as a tool for moral development

Follow-up Assignment:
TBD

Date: Thursday March 19th 9am – 10:30am in Benson 409, Coffee and Bagels Served

Facilitator: Ann Phelps, Director of Programming, Program for Leadership and Character

Workshop Description:
What does it mean to mentor with character at the center? In this interactive workshop, Ann Phelps invites participants to explore mentoring not just as a role or responsibility, but as a relational practice rooted in virtue and attentiveness. Drawing on traditional mentoring frameworks as well as character-based and person-centered approaches, this session will highlight the importance of improvisation, humility, and discernment in effective mentorship. Participants will reflect on their own experiences as mentors and mentees, examine the character strengths that support meaningful mentoring relationships, and consider how to adapt mentoring strategies to the evolving needs of the people they support.

Learning Outcomes Addressed:

• Understand the Role of Virtue in Mentorship
• Cultivate Character-Centered and Person-Based Mentoring Practices
• Promote Reflective and Relational Approaches to Mentoring
• Integrate Mentoring Skills into Leadership and Professional Practice

Follow-up Assignment:
Participants will write a brief reflection identifying one character virtue they want to strengthen in their mentoring relationships (e.g., patience, discernment, humility). They will describe one recent or upcoming mentoring interaction and outline how they might approach it differently with this virtue more intentionally at the forefront.

Date: Wednesday, March 25th at 10am, coffee and bagels served.

Kenneth Townsend, JD, Executive Director of Leadership and Character in the Professional Schools, Teaching Professor in the School of Law

Description coming soon!

Date: March 2026 TBD
Facilitator: Dr. Ben Rigney, JD, Associate Director of Leadership and Character in the Law School

Description coming soon!