Rice University celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders, marking a decade of impact in developing principled, purpose-driven leaders — not only at Rice but across the nation.
“What makes the Doerr Institute so distinctive is its focus not only on a select group of already accomplished student leaders but on any and every Rice student,” Rice President Reginald DesRoches said at the anniversary celebration Sept. 24. “The idea is both simple and profound — leadership is not reserved for a few; it is a skill that can and should be cultivated in all.”
Founded through an extraordinary investment from John and Ann Doerr, the institute launched as a first-of-its-kind, universitywide enterprise dedicated to developing leaders at scale. In the 10 years since, the Doerr Institute has reached thousands of Rice students through coaching, training and evidence-based development programs designed to strengthen self-awareness, responsibility, collaboration and service to others.
“Unlike most leadership programs, the Doerr Institute does not leave leader development to chance,” DesRoches said. “Its approach is intentional, rigorous and evidence-based. Through the institute, Rice students leave here prepared not just to succeed personally but to have a positive impact on their communities and the entire world.”
Under director Bernie Banks, the Doerr Institute has expanded its influence far beyond campus. Through its CoachRICE program, the institute trains professional coaches from a wide range of industries — some of whom go on to coach within higher education, while others apply their skills in corporate, nonprofit and professional settings.
The institute also convened a national consortium of more than 240 institutions — a collaborative “meeting of the minds” aimed at elevating the standard of leader development across higher education. Through this initiative, the Doerr Institute brings together administrators, faculty and staff from across the country to share best practices, challenges and innovations. One key outcome from the consortium was the recognition of a widespread need for greater measurement capability — a realization that contributed to the creation of the Doerr Institute’s Demystifying Measurement in Leader Development course, now offered to institutions nationwide.
From this effort also emerged a partnership with the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education to establish the Carnegie Elective Classification for Leadership for Public Purpose, a new national framework recognizing universities that make leadership education a mission-level priority.
“There were lots of people doing leader development, but not a lot doing it in a truly rigorous way — informed by science and actively measured to ensure impact,” Banks said. “That’s what makes us unique.”
Banks noted that the institute’s programs have inspired students to rethink what it means to lead — and why.
“We’ve impacted thousands of students in a positive way,” he said. “They didn’t simply become better at a task — we transformed how they thought about societal obligation and how they would walk through the world. Many students come to us saying they don’t want to be leaders because they see unethical behavior from those in positions of power. But they all say they want to make a difference. The Doerr Institute helps them amplify their leadership capacity, so they can go out and make the world a better place.”
As the institute looks toward its second decade, both DesRoches and Banks emphasized that its work is far from finished.
“The Doerr Institute is positioned to impact generations of Rice students for decades to come,” DesRoches said. “Here’s to 10 years of transformation — and to many more years of preparing the kind of leaders our world urgently needs.”
“Rice only puts two things into the world — people and ideas — and both should be extraordinary,” Banks added. “There’s never been a better moment to do something momentous.”
To learn more about the Doerr Institute, visit doerr.rice.edu.