Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest
Preparing men of character for lives of consequence
The Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest, established in 1996 and named for the College's former president Lt. Gen. Samuel V. Wilson (U.S. Army, Ret.), provides students with the opportunity to explore, practice, and hone their leadership skills so that they may become tomorrow's CEOs, business founders, military officers, and civic and political leaders. With direction from current and former leaders, students gain an understanding of the challenges confronting the United States and the world today through lectures, forums, symposia, and excursions.
"General Wilson used to say that Hampden-Sydney men are ‘Dragon Slayers.’ I took that to mean that it’s my duty as a Hampden-Sydney man to go out and find dragons to slay — to find a worthy cause that’s larger than myself and work for it."
~Henrik Fogh Rasmussen ’03
Contact Wilson Center for Leadership
P.O. Box 854 | Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943
Vinton Bruton | Director
vbruton@hsc.edu
(434) 223-6212
Jennifer Meitz | Assistant Director
jmeitz@hsc.edu
(434) 223-7077
The namesake of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest and former president of Hampden-Sydney College, Lieutenant General Samuel V. Wilson was a servant and revered leader.
The Wilson Leadership Fellows Program is Hampden-Sydney College’s experiential leadership development program rooted in active citizenship and servant leadership where future leaders of all kinds learn to lead by navigating complex situations.
Wilson Center Programs and Opportunities
The Leadership in the Public Interest minor is an interdisciplinary minor designed to provide opportunities to study leaders and leadership concepts that are applicable to leadership, citizenship, and ethical decision making in a variety of contexts.
The National Security Studies minor is designed for students who are interested in the historical, political, cultural, ethical, and legal dimensions of national security policy as well as the place and role of the military in American society.
Army ROTC is a national leadership development program that educates and prepares highly talented college students to become Army Officers while pursuing the major of their choice with a focus on academics, campus leadership opportunities, and athletics. Hampden-Sydney men may enroll in the Army ROTC program through the University of Richmond.
Hampden-Sydney College and the Wilson Center have partnerships with several graduate school programs:
University of Virginia, Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
Through an agreement with the with the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia, students participating in the Wilson Leadership Fellows Program, or enrolled in the Leadership in the Public Interest minor, and [Military Leadership and] National Securities Studies minor are offered a priority track for admission into the Masters of Public Policy (MPP) program. Representatives of the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy have committed to visiting campus annually and providing the Wilson Center with a list of recommended coursework for future applicants to best prepare them for the program. All students who apply, regardless of admissions decision, will receive an application fee waiver. Students selected for admission at the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy will receive an annual fellowship of $10,000 for Virginia residents and $17,500 for residents of other states. For more information, interested students should contact the Director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest.
Pepperdine University, School of Public Policy
Through an agreement with the School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University, students participating in the Wilson Leadership Fellows Program, or enrolled in either the Leadership in the Public Interest minor or the National Securities Studies minor are offered a priority track for admission into the Masters of Public Policy (MPP) program. Representatives of the School of Public Policy have committed to visiting campus and providing the Wilson Center with a list of recommended coursework for future applicants to best prepare them for the program. All students who apply, regardless of admissions decision, will receive an application fee waiver. Students selected for admission to the Master of Public Policy program at the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy will receive an annual fellowship commensurate with fellowships awarded to students attending Pepperdine from other ‘Pepperdine Policy Partner’ institutions. Fellowships are awarded based on undergraduate GPA. For more information, interested students should contact the Director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest.
Cornell University’s Institute for Public Affairs (CIPA)
Through an agreement with the with the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs at Cornell University, students participating in the Wilson Leadership Fellows Program, or enrolled in the Leadership in the Public Interest minor, and [Military Leadership and] National Securities Studies minor are offered a priority track for admission into the Masters of Public Administration (MPA) program. Representatives of the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs have committed to visiting campus annually and providing the Wilson Center with a list of recommended coursework for future applicants to best prepare them for the program. All students who apply, regardless of admissions decision, will receive an application fee waiver. For more information, interested students should contact the Director of the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest.

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