Clayton State’s College of Business launches Center for Strategic Leadership Development

(October 20, 2025) - Clayton State University’s College of Business has launched the Center for Strategic Leadership Development (CSLD), an initiative designed to develop authentic, values-driven leaders across the university, community, and beyond.

The standing-room-only launch event featured a panel moderated by Jim Burress, host of All Things Considered on WABE Radio, and included Dr. Jill Drake, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Shiyla Lubin, graduate student in the Master of Strategic Leadership Development (MSLD) program; Lilly Goldsmith, undergraduate business student; and Frangela Merritt, MBA, MPA, community partner and management professional. Panelists discussed resilience, transformation, and the CSLD’s role as a regional resource for developing leaders at every level.

 “We want to be the regional center for leadership development,” said Dr. Jacob Chacko, Dean of the College of Business. “It’s a center for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and business partners.”

 Founding Director Dr. Melva Robertson said the Center will strengthen leadership capacity through “coaching, consulting, experiential learning for our students, and programs that help teams transform culture and performance.”

 A signature initiative, the Laker Student Coaching Collaborative, pairs graduate coaches from the MSLD program—who are pursuing International Coaching Federation credentials—with undergraduates for one-on-one leadership coaching. The first cohort includes 25 students, reflecting CSLD’s “learning and leading in action” philosophy.

 During the College of Business’ Innovation Week, the CSLD also hosted the Jim Woods Speaker Series, featuring a fireside chat with Dr. Robertson and Alisha Thomas Searcy, CEO of the Center for Strong Public Schools, titled “The Courage to Create: Fearless Leadership as a Driver of Innovation.”

 “This is just the beginning,” Robertson said. “We’re building leaders who embody integrity, authenticity, outcomes, and purpose.”