About LDI
The Leadership Development Institute prepares students to lead from day one. Born from a partnership between the School of Engineering and Computer Science and the School of Business Administration, LDI brings students and industry professionals together in the same room, working on the same challenges, through a proven framework built for today's complex workplace.
Why LDI Exists
The gap between what employers need and what higher education institutions deliver in student leadership capability is well-documented. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, there is a 30-point gap between how employers rate the importance of leadership and how they rate the proficiency of new graduates. LDI exists to close this gap.
Our Mission
To develop the next generation of CARVE leaders — Collaborative, Adaptable, Reflective, Visionary, and Ethical — through applied, interdisciplinary experiences that bridge the classroom and the workplace that equip Oakland University graduates to lead with purpose in Southeast Michigan and beyond.
Our Vision
To become the defining model for applied, evidence-based leadership development at a public university: self-sustaining, regionally rooted and nationally replicable.
