By Robin Nelson ‘22, Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets - June 10th, 2025
The spring 2025 class of certificate awardees marks the largest in the Hollingsworth Center’s history.
Though initially founded to supplement the Corps’ leadership training for non-military contracted cadets, the Hollingsworth Center for Ethical Leadership (HCEL) stands today as a resource for all students at Texas A&M. Through the HCEL’s courses listed under the School of Military Sciences (SOMS), dedicated career readiness events, guidance offered by experienced instructors and one on one mentoring opportunities, students who engage with the Hollingsworth team learn how to lead passionately at all levels of their professional careers and personal lives.
One representation of their knowledge gained through the HCEL is the Certificate in Applied Leadership Studies. Students earn this certificate at graduation following their verified successful completion of the Center’s leadership development program. The program entails a minimum of two semesters of an Individual Leadership Development Plan, the successful completion of SOMS 281, 380, 381, 481, and 482 and an exit interview with an approved leadership coach or mentor.
Awarded in partnership with the National Medal of Honor Institute (NMOHI) since early 2024, the program’s curriculum has been recently enhanced to include teachings about Medal of Honor recipients and how their displayed characteristics of leadership can be applied in every aspect of life, from the battlefield to the board room.
“The Certificate’s requirements appear in three categories: academic courses, applied experiences and personal development activities. Students earning the certificate complete five Hollingsworth ethical leadership courses during their time here, but it is more than just an academic exercise. They also gain practical experience through leadership experiences here on campus, through the Corps, other student organizations and/or in the community,” said Dr. Dave Keller, Director of the Hollingsworth Center.
Keller says that the curriculum’s elements work cohesively to create a well-rounded experience for students, with cadets in particular fully benefiting from their time in the program.
“The combination of all of these elements creates a very unique and powerful learning experience for students earning the Certificate in Applied Leadership Studies. The best leaders aren’t just ‘book smart’, although they should absolutely be knowledgeable in leadership theories and principles. But academic knowledge alone is insufficient –-students need to get out and practice these concepts. This is an area where Corps students have a distinct advantage because the Corps is intentionally designed to be a leadership laboratory.”
National Medal of Honor Institute representatives cite this comprehensive learning experience as one of the main reasons why the Institute chose to partner with the HCEL.
“We were very deliberate about who we wanted to partner with for a certificate program. We chose Texas A&M, and in particular the Hollingsworth Center, because of the emphasis on applied ethical leadership. The application is the key,” said Dr. Kevin Basik, Chief of Leadership Programs for the NMOHI.
The Center’s spring 2025 certificate ceremony saw 186 certificates awarded to students from across various backgrounds and majors--the largest awardee class in the Center’s history.
For cadets venturing into the public and private sectors, this certificate has helped them start their professional journeys on the right foot.
“I am about to enter into a six month long training period to become a manufacturing team leader for H-E-B’s Houston Division. I am joining a company that has a well established culture. Through the classes I have taken in applied ethical leadership, I am now better able to help guide teams in ways that are both effective and align with the established organizational culture,” said former cadet Julianna Ramirez ‘25.
Though a majority of the certificate’s awardees are set to work in the public, private and non-profit sectors after graduation, military contracted cadets can also benefit from the program and its teachings. Regardless of their path after graduation, students who earn the certificate gain invaluable professional experience and insight on how to effectively lead.
“The Hollingsworth Center really helped bridge the gap between the Corps and the corporate world for me. An easy example is a lot of the resources that Hollingsworth provides helped me build up my resume, helped me build connections in companies and enabled me to crush a lot of first time interviews. It is what helped me get an internship with Lockheed Martin and it is what will continue to help me stand out amongst people that did not commit that same amount of time to leadership,” said another former cadet, Caleb Riggs ‘25.
Through this certificate, and the HCEL’s teachings and sponsored activities as a whole, students from across campus are able to learn from the Corps’ leadership development model and apply it to their experiences as students and as young professionals.
“Hollingsworth Center courses, workshops, seminars and conferences are open to all students on campus. Every semester, we have several non-Corps students take our courses and find real benefit to doing so. Our graduates are smart, disciplined and focused on service to others. We are producing precisely the kind of young leaders society is desperately seeking in our companies, families and communities,” Keller said.
