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Students Return From Crossing Boundaries Leadership Institute in Lausanne

Nine students recently returned to Malibu after spending two weeks in Lausanne, Switzerland, training to become global citizens and future leaders. The Crossing Boundaries Leadership Institute offered by Pepperdine's International Programs offered a one-unit course in Communication & Leadership, designed to examine the communication processes through which individuals influence, motivate, and mobilize others to work together toward common goals within organizations, communities, and society.  

“The world needs people who are serious about leadership and want to understand what it means to serve others within their realm of influence,” explains Kerri Heath, the director of Housing and Residence Life at Pepperdine, who travelled as a visiting faculty member with the students throughout the two-week experience. “I think it is important for students to spend intentional time to learn who they are, what they’re good at, their niche, as well as what they’re not so good at.”

In order to strengthen their knowledge and application of different leadership styles and personal strengths, the students were immersed in the corporate world and experienced real world situations in an international setting. Discussions of corporate social responsibility took place on visits with leaders from different organizations, including Starbucks and Medair, a non-governmental international humanitarian aid organization, in between hikes to the Swiss Alps and various local excursions.

Rather than simply learning theoretical approaches to leadership, the students were exposed to new cultures and actual leadership issues through interviewing world renowned leaders, experiencing outdoors adventures, team building exercises, service opportunities, and group projects.

Lausanne is located in the French speaking part of Switzerland on picturesque Lake Geneva, a few hours from the Swiss Alps and 30 minutes from Geneva, the most international city in Europe and home to the European headquarters of the United Nations. Because of its location, Lausanne is a very diverse city, hosting people from different countries from all over the world, including Pepperdine University.

For more information, visit the Crossing Boundaries Leadership Institute Web site.