Donna Shalala and Rosabeth Kanter

Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative, a program designed to prepare experienced leaders to take on new challenges in the social sector, wrapped up its three-day Global Conference at the University of Miami’s Newman Alumni Center on June 17, with UM President Donna E. Shalala and other experts participating in a lively discussion about higher education.

President Shalala, a professor of political science, was joined on the “Higher Education Workshop” by Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor of Business Administration at Harvard and director of the Advanced Leadership Initiative, and Charles Ogletree, the Jesse Climenko Professor of Law at Harvard. Also present were several UM faculty members and administrators, including Sergio M. Gonzalez, senior vice president of University Advancement and External Affairs; Rebecca Fox, the president’s chief of staff; Terri Scandura, dean of the Graduate School; Frances Aldrich Sevilla-Sacasa, interim dean of the School of Business Administration; and Rosa Gonzalez-Guarda, assistant professor at the School of Nursing and Health Studies.

The symposium was the Initiative’s first outside of Harvard. Miami was selected because of its global influence and reputation as the gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean.

Days one and two of the conference featured several sessions, including one on civic engagement and community service, which was co-led by UM Senior Vice Provost William Scott Green. Former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Katy Sorenson also participated.

Former FIU President Modesto Maidique, former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, and Miami Dade College President Eduardo Padron also participated in the conference.

After Wednesday morning’s welcome from Thomas LeBlanc, executive vice president and provost of UM, as well as Alberto Ibarguen and Dennis Scholl, from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the first two days of the conference addressed topics such as “Thinking Outside the Building” to identify areas of common interest and productive action, “Setting an Advocacy Agenda,” and “Taking Good Ideas to Scale.”