Nuala Pell Leadership Program

The Nuala Pell Leadership Program provides leadership development opportunities to a select group of diverse, high-achieving undergraduate students at Salve, exposing them to both the theory and practice of leadership.

Named in honor of the late Nuala Pell, wife of Sen. Claiborne Pell and an avid supporter of public service, the program aims to build leadership skills that can be used in the classroom and beyond.

As part of this eight-month program, students participate in facilitated discussions on leadership topics like emotional intelligence and stakeholder mapping and engagement. The fellows also visit with accomplished leaders from the public and private sectors who share practical real-world lessons from their own lives. The fellowship year culminates with an all-expenses-paid visit to Washington, D.C. to meet with national and local leaders and visit prominent national landmarks.

I learned leadership comes in so many different forms, shapes, and sizes. No one person has the ultimate answer to how to be a leader, but there are a lot of techniques.

Brian Schmidt '19

Eligibility Requirements

• Will be a junior or senior in the upcoming academic year.
• Has a strong interest in public policy, and wants to deepen their knowledge on the policy process.
• Possesses a desire to enhance their civic engagement in local, state or national politics.
• Is committed to this eight-month program and is available to attend monthly meetings.

To learn more about the program, email Katie Sonder. Applications are currently closed for the 2025-2026 academic year. 

The Nuala Pell Leadership trip to Washington, DC was the opportunity of a lifetime. It was truly inspiring to hear leadership advice and success stories from such influential people. I have a much deeper understanding of what it takes to be an effective leader. 

Devin Smith '18

Every person we met was driven by a goal to make the world a better place, and they all carried that out in different ways. I think this is one of the hallmarks of Claiborne and Nuala Pell; they were leaders with a drive to do good. 

Evie O'Callaghan '19