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
Center Staff
The Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership & Engagement in the News
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”
New Jennifer Eckert Center for Leadership and Engagement will enhance leadership development opportunities for students and advance Simmons’ work as one of Boston’s premier leadership institutions. Eckert and Simmons both embrace the concept of leading with purpose, and her gift will help translate that idea into students’ preparation for life and careers after graduating.
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
Simmons Awarded Prestigious Carnegie Designation for Leadership for Public Purpose
This designation recognizes our institutional commitment to the pursuit of leadership and the collective public good. Most exciting, this honor is a national recognition of the unique brand of leadership we have developed and advanced at Simmons – a group of everyday leaders committed to doing well and doing good.
In Non-Profit Leadership Role, Incoming Student Empowers Girls
Incoming student Kaylee Richard is the program director of Girls at Work, “a non-profit after-school program that uses power tools and the Socratic method to empower girls.”
Creating Impact at the 45th Annual Simmons Leadership Conference
The 2024 conference featured a roster of speakers exploring this year’s theme of “Creating Impact” in their personal and professional lives, and how those efforts ripple out to the people and communities around them.
Self-Curating the College Experience: Sojourn in Spain, Scientific Research, and Senior Care
Public Health major Abigail Bloom ’24 discusses her study abroad experience, the research projects she has participated in, and some of her favorite courses at Simmons.
Discovering an Empowering Atmosphere, Supportive Mentors, and Leadership Opportunities at Simmons
Neurobiology major Debora Edouard ’24 discusses her favorite moments at Simmons, her research, and her unique experience as a first-generation college student.
Reflecting on Community Service, Friendship, and Fun at Simmons
First-generation student Gia Elie ’24 has engaged in community service in the Boston area as part of the Alpha Kappa sorority. She has also been involved with the Black Student Organization and has completed two internships. She counts the friendships she has made at Simmons as one of her most transformative experiences.
Library and Information Science PhD Student Named Acting Director of IMLS
Cyndee Landrum, a student in the Simmons University Library and Information Science PhD, has been named Acting Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Simmons Alum Kelly O’Connell Champions Women and Nonbinary Entrepreneurs
Since joining the Simmons University Alumnae/i Association Executive Board (AAEB), Kelly O’Connell ’99 has helped launch the Simmons Tuesday Tea Podcast, and co-hosted the Byond Balance event last November. On April 2, AAEB is hosting a special Simmons campus screening of “Show Her The Money,” a documentary that delves into the gender gap in venture capital funding with a focus on empowering women entrepreneurs.