April 14, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 15)
Article by
Cass Wainwright
At left, Amani Hurt and Molinda Guajardo participate in a Thompson and Charter Scholars Leadership Series event in November.
Thompson and Charter Scholars participated in a new, six-part leadership series designed to help them learn about their leadership identity and grow through collaboration, discussion, interactive activities, real-world application and reflection.
“The leadership series is meant to be a beginner-friendly program with three sessions in the fall semester and three sessions in the winter semester," said Samantha Mayse, senior director of the Thompson Programs. "The idea is for students to explore ‘What does it mean to be a leader?’ and then, by the end, see themselves growing into that role."
Robert and Ellen Thompson established the scholarship program at GVSU in 2008. Now the university's largest program, roughly one in 15 GVSU undergraduate students receives a Thompson scholarship. Many Thompson Scholars also attended charter public schools that the Thompsons founded in Detroit.
“We can provide some skills to students that they may not necessarily learn through their classes but are essential as they graduate and go into the workforce,” Mayse said.
Secondary education major Connor Kennedy said the series will be beneficial after graduation.
“I think that the leadership series and the Thompson Scholars as a whole have helped prepare me,” Kennedy said. “Leadership is, of course, a really big thing with teaching, and so they've helped strengthen my future career.”
The series also helped guide participants through their academic journeys.
Amani Hurt, a sophomore, said: “As a marketing and management major, I’m interested in leadership, branding and community impact. The lessons from this program have shown me how important it is to understand people, communicate effectively and lead with purpose.”
The series included the GVSU Leadership Summit in February and concluded on March 28 during a service learning day.
– Cass Wainwright is a senior majoring in writing and a student writer for University Communications.
This article was last edited on April 23, 2026 at 8:33 a.m.
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