Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership & Engagement
The Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership & Engagement has a mission to to enhance leadership development opportunities for a diverse and engaged student body by empowering students to practice Everyday Leadership, social responsibility, and mutual respect.
Our vision is to strengthen competency, foster equity, and work to close the opportunity gap for students through collaborative programming, leadership development, and enrichment opportunities.
This center and its programming are made possible by the philanthropy of Simmons alumna and trustee Jennifer Eckert ’08 MSW. At its core, the center will enable Simmons to more explicitly and intentionally embed leadership within a student’s experience from the moment they’re accepted, furthering the university’s work as one of Boston’s premier leadership institutions.
Initiatives supported by the Eckert Center include a fellowship program that enables graduate students to lead projects on diversity, equity, and inclusion while receiving professional leadership coaching; the Simmons Bridge Program, which enhances incoming first-year BIPOC students’ opportunities to connect and thrive in the Simmons community; and opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in community service, citizenship, and leadership development throughout their time at Simmons.
The Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership & Engagement
The Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership and Engagement has a mission to to enhance leadership development opportunities for a diverse and engaged student body by empowering students to practice Everyday Leadership, social responsibility, and mutual respect.
Center Staff
Staff
Tasha Baclawski
Project Coordinator
Elysia Johnson
Assistant Director, Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership and Engagement
Christy Lusiak
Director, Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership & Engagement
The Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership & Engagement in the News
Women in Leadership and Social Justice
Local leaders recently gathered at Simmons University to discuss what it means to lead in today’s world. The event was part of the Unpacking Series and was hosted by the Simmons Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in collaboration with the Institute for Inclusive Leadership, the School of Management, the School of Social Work, and the Stephen D. London Center for Community Engagement and Social Justice.
Welcome to the Simmons LGBTQIA+ Lounge
In honor of LGBTQIA+ History Month, we welcome the LGBTQIA+ community at Simmons to gather in their new lounge, located in the Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership & Engagement.
Getting Ready for Orientation 2024
Orientation Leaders Katelyn Fox ’25 and Maggie Wettergren ’26 share the inside scoop on First Bite Orientation, June 13 and 14.
Karla Alba ’23, Inaugural Jennifer Eckert Leadership Fellow for DEI, Knows the Importance of Difficult Conversations
Jennifer Eckert '08MSW, a member of the Simmons University Board of Trustees, provided a generous donation to support the mission of Simmons University to become a beacon of leadership in the world of higher education. A portion of these funds...
Significant Gift Invests in Simmons University’s Vision For Educating Inclusive “Everyday Leaders”
Simmons University today announced a new $5 million gift from Simmons alumna and Trustee Jennifer Eckert to expand the scope and impact of its innovative approach to leadership education throughout the institution. The gift will create the new Jennifer Eckert...
Leadership in the News
2025 Simmons Leadership Conference Announces Speaker Lineup
On March 20, 2025, the Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership will host its annual Leadership Conference. An inspiring array of speakers will animate this year’s theme, “Leading Change.” Members of the Simmons community are entitled to complimentary virtual attendance.
Simmons Welcomes New Cohort of Bonner Community Leaders
The Bonner Community Leaders Program is a unique opportunity for students who want to combine a strong commitment to service with personal growth, teamwork, leadership development, and scholarship. We spoke with Ellie Foss ’28, Jocelyn Miranda Landaverde ’28, Bridget Swezey ’28, and Soraya Timas ’28 about what drew them to the program.
Celebrating the 2024-25 Passionate Leaders Scholars
Six Simmons undergraduate scholars from different disciplines have been selected to join the 2024-2025 Passionate Leaders Project cohort.
Women in Leadership and Social Justice
Local leaders recently gathered at Simmons University to discuss what it means to lead in today’s world. The event was part of the Unpacking Series and was hosted by the Simmons Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in collaboration with the Institute for Inclusive Leadership, the School of Management, the School of Social Work, and the Stephen D. London Center for Community Engagement and Social Justice.
Mother and Daughter Alumnae Reflect on Shared Simmons Pride
To commemorate Simmons’ 125th anniversary, we spoke with Karen MacKenzie ’10, ’12MSW and her daughter Jennifer “Jen” DiRico ’12MBA about graduating alongside one another, Simmons’ spirit of inclusivity, and the formative power of a women’s-centered education.
Institute for Inclusive Leadership CEO Responds to “the Broken Rung” on CBS News
According to Susan MacKenty Brady, “a massive amount of value is lost when we aren’t fully tapping into the available talent in our organizations. . . . The traction of early promotion is where we need to mend, and where we need to lift up and create more resources and more opportunity for women.”
Professor Visits University of Johannesburg as Fulbright Specialist
Professor Johnnie Hamilton-Mason received a Fulbright Specialist Award this year. Recipients of the Fulbright Specialist awards are "selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, demonstrated leadership in their field, and their potential to foster long-term cooperation between institutions in the U.S. and abroad."
Simmons Social Work Doctoral Student Awards Kindest Kids in America
Jessie Hansen ’26DSW recently started the program The Kindest Kid in America, which awards young students who are exemplars of kindness. Hansen is a representative of Think Kindness, an organization that aims to promote acts of kindness in school and communities.