Leadership-building at UCC to have dedicated program and lab

As UCC’s bicentennial approaches, donor Stu Lang ’70 and his wife, Kim, have vowed to help the College grow its leadership-building capacities through the Lang Leadership Lab, a full-fledged program and future state-of-the-art physical hub. Lang is an esteemed athlete, coach, philanthropist and businessman who is committed to giving back to the school that gave him such strong foundations. 

“In our rapidly changing world, leadership training across all ages matters now more than ever,” Lang says. “Unfortunately today, you see a lot of leaders, but seldom leadership. UCC has a proven track record of shaping smart, compassionate leaders equipped to face the challenges and opportunities of the future.” 

Says Kinnear, “The program will be an umbrella for a wide array of leadership development, with a very intentional strategy and philosophy, offering a range of experiences. Our aim is to become a centre of excellence in youth leadership development, to study our impact and share our learning through broader community partnerships.” 

The intention is to expand training for all UCC students in age-appropriate ways, and build on existing training that includes a dedicated course in Year 9, as well as a course being piloted for Year 10. A key part of the vision is to offer a co-ed summer leadership institute for students from across Canada and around the world, in service of creating a transformational impact beyond the College. 

Overseeing the entire program will be the incoming Lang Leadership Lab Director, who will work with colleagues and the broader community to weave training throughout the curriculum. Returning faculty member Fiona Marshall is thrilled to be taking on the role. Marshall brings a deep commitment to youth leadership development, as well as more than 20 years in educational leadership, program design and student mentorship. 

Plans for the physical lab in future facility the Rogers Building include two cutting-edge classrooms, and dedicated office space for faculty. Kinnear imagines it as a “learning hub,” where students can practise their skills and teachers outside UCC can come to study the latest evidence-based approaches to leadership-building. 

As part of the work of devising the program, UCC had to consider what leadership means to the school today. “It’s not necessarily about being front and centre and holding the title,” Kinnear says. “It’s about embracing empathy and humility, about leading from a place of principle. And it’s about developing those characteristics and skills that help you elevate others.” 

The Langs’ recent gift of $20M — making Stu and Kim the most generous cumulative donors to an independent school in Canadian history — will also make a significant mark on UCC’s second campus at the Norval Outdoor School, where programming emphasizes leadership development in addition to environmental stewardship. Paving the way for extensive facility revitalization at Norval, the Lang Leadership Lab will expand capacity to hone team-building and leadership skills in the context of outdoor education. In addition to the positive impact these enhancements will have on UCC students, they will benefit young people across the province, including visiting school groups, Girl Guides, Scouts, and participants in Horizons, the College’s inter-school tutoring, mentoring and co-learning partnership.