The James Buzzard Leadership Development Program was initiated through a generous donation from James “Jim” Buzzard, an alumnus of the College of Natural Resources and the former president of MeadWestvaco. Through observation, Jim believed that many leaders, despite their mystique and ability to inspire great things, wonder how they developed the skills to become such figureheads in their organizations.
Jim concluded that outstanding leadership, like any other skill, can be learned. Good leaders have taken the time to develop their craft, clarifying their core beliefs and cultivating their ability to inspire others. They have discovered how to uncover the energy and talents of diverse people and channel them into the pursuit of a common vision. They have practiced the art of team building, enforcing essential principles, when necessary, but always ensuring that all team members are active and productive members of the group. Outstanding leaders change the world through vision, hard work, creativity and the careful service of others.
The James Buzzard Leadership Development Program is built on Jim’s vision to help undergraduate students further their interests in leadership and hone their skills so that they leave NC State as budding leaders capable of guiding teams to success in whatever careers they pursue. Using an inspirational case-based learning approach, combined with personal interactions with leaders across various fields and a focus on leadership development through readings, reflections and hands-on activities, this year-long program gives students who complete it a greater understanding of their potential and new confidence in what they can accomplish.
Program Components
Ropes course
Bi-weekly seminars
Leadership seminar series and the opportunity to meet seminal leaders
Self-awareness personality inventory
Health coaching sessions
Individualized sessions with a professional coach
Access to a community mentor
3-4 field trips to meet with leadership of various organizations
The deadline to submit the application for consideration is Friday, March 8, 2024, at 5 p.m.
Admission Criteria
The program is limited to no more than 20 students per cohort.
Students must be willing to commit to the full academic year (August-May) and must be a junior or senior. Sophomores with leadership experience may be considered.
Please contact Jason Bocarro, director of the James Buzzard Leadership Development Program, at buzzardleadership@ncsu.edu to learn more.
Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders
The James Buzzard Leadership Development Program is preparing students to be innovative, socially responsive, ethical and mindful leaders ready to positively impact their communities.
Through hands-on experiences and field trips, students gain the skills and knowledge to graduate prepared to lead. See where are students have been!
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2023-24 Scholars
Banks Cathey
Banks Cathey is a senior in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, majoring in Sport Management. He is from Lincolnton, North Carolina and graduated from North Lincoln High School. Banks founded a Coach2Inspire campus chapter at NC State in 2022 and has served as the organization’s president ever since. He also spent a year with Coach Keatts and the NC State Men’s Basketball staff as a student manager where he assisted with practices, recruiting, operations, and summer camps. He is constantly searching for opportunities that integrate his two passions: Sports and leading others. His career ambitions are to work in business development or administration for a reputable sports organization. Banks is thrilled to develop his own leadership skills through the guidance of experienced leaders and build meaningful relationships with his peers during his time as a James Buzzard Leadership fellow.
Zofia Cavalli
Zofia Cavalli aspires to become a champion of the ocean and planet. As an Environmental Science major, she plans to focus on the betterment of the planet’s health through practical and achievable solutions. Zofia applies the integrative curriculum at NC State, combining Environmental Science with policy, communication, and marine studies to drive action from a collective understanding and collaboration. As a junior at NC State, Zofia has been a peer leader for the Environmental Science Program and a part of the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Program as a mentor and is now continuing with the program as an administrator. Zofia is also a board member of the Marine Science Club. She spent her last semester at NC State’s Center for Marine Science and Technology (CMAST) and worked on an independent research project focusing on the identification of microplastics in NC water sources. This semester her water quality research will continue with a new collaboration within the Marine Science Department. Additionally, this summer, she collaborated with a private equity firm working on areas where sustainability, policy, and corporate performance intersect. Looking ahead, Zofia will be traveling this spring to Bonaire, aiming to achieve her Scientific Diving certification, traveling abroad to Australia to dive the Great Barrier Reef, and applying her new certification to coral restoration. Zofia is inspired to be a part of the Buzzard Leadership Program and plans to take advantage of all the opportunities to develop her leadership skills and expand her knowledge base.
Laurel Cavanagh
Laurel Cavanagh is a born and raised Raleigh resident! Prior to enrolling at North Carolina State University, she received an associate degree in liberal arts from Wake Technical Community College. After earning an associate degree, she completed a 200- hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) training, as well as an NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) certificate. Laurel’s love of the fitness industry and wellness facilities led her to NCSU where she is studying Sport Management. Laurel’s goal is to own and operate a Health and Wellness facility, as well as lead training for like-minded, passionate individuals. She is excited to be a part of the James Buzzard Cohort during its founding year. This cohort has brought together many hard-working students that are excited about community and leadership. When you bring together a group of passionate individuals, like the ones in this year’s James Buzzard Cohort, good things are bound to happen!
Julia Egler
Julia Egler is a senior in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, focusing on Tourism and Event Management. She is also minoring in Business Administration. Julia is from Highlands, North Carolina where she discovered the importance of tourism in small towns. Julia hopes to become a hospitality manager in the hotel, event, or recreation industry. She is currently a Facility Operations Program Assistant at the NC State Wellness and Recreation Center where she schedules, hires, and manages over 100 employees. Julia is also a College of Natural Resources Ambassador where she shares her passion for Tourism Management with prospective students. She is thrilled to be a part of the James Buzzard Leadership Development program where she hopes to learn more about different leadership styles and networking with community leaders.
Madeline Johnson
Madeline Johnson is majoring in Environmental Science with a focus on aquatic environments. She is also working towards minors in Naval Science and Spanish. She is from Apex, NC and her passion for the environment stemmed from her time spent at the lake growing up. She is a member of Navy ROTC and is looking forward to commissioning as a naval officer next year upon graduation. She is excited for networking opportunities, getting to know fellow CNR students and faculty, and developing herself as a leader through the James Buzzard Leadership Development Program!
Antonio Jimenez
Antonio Jimenez is a second-year student majoring in Sport Management with a minor in Spanish. Originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin, grew up in Mooresville, North Carolina. Being from a small but mighty football town, he developed a deep love and passion for sport, particularly the way it builds community and brings people together generation after generation. His goal is to one day work as a General Manager or Team President for a professional sports team, building on the tight relationship between the team and its community. Antonio will be entering his second season working with the Carolina Hurricanes through their Canes Crew entertainment team. He is excited to be a part of the James Buzzard Leadership Development Program and hopes to expand his abilities as a leader and develop new strategies that will guide his individual and collaborative endeavors.
Gabby Landry
Gabby Landry is a senior studying fisheries, wildlife, and conservation biology. Growing up in Victor, New York, she spent much of her childhood playing in the cattail marshes and moraines along Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes region. Here, she gained a passion for birds and habitats that occur along water bodies. Gabby aspires to be a wetland ecologist, where she can use her knowledge of wildlife to benefit the management and restoration of wetland habitats. One of the main draws of the James Buzzard Leadership Development program for her was the ability to meet and hear the stories of leaders who have struggled but remained successful throughout their career, as well as to learn to advocate for herself and others.
Cassidy McCarty
Cassidy McCarty is double majoring in Forest Management, on the Ecology track, and Environmental Sciences. She also has a minor in Wildlife Sciences. She is hoping to work for a public agency managing forested land for habitat conservation. She is from rural Lincolnton, NC, where she developed a love and appreciation for wildlife and the outdoors. She currently works as a Facility Supervisor at the Wellness and Recreation Center, leading a team of 10 employees ensuring the facility runs smoothly. She is involved with the Society of American Foresters Student Chapter, acting as the President, and is the Secretary for the Leopold Wildlife Club. She loves to stay involved with the CNR student body and faculty to create unique opportunities for students passionate about natural resource management. Cassidy is excited to get to know CNR students from other departments during the Buzzard Leadership Program, network with professionals, and develop her leadership skills.
Kaitlyn O’Donnell
Kaitlyn O’Donnell is a senior at NC State University from Durham, North Carolina. She is currently pursuing a degree in Natural Resources Policy and Administration and has completed a minor in Global Leadership and Team Decision Making. She hopes to pursue a career in environmental law and to utilize her passion for environmental policy to enact positive change in her community. Currently, Kaitlyn is an ambassador for the College of Natural Resources and a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority. She is excited for the opportunity to be a James Buzzard Leadership Fellow and to enhance her leadership skills with the help of her peers, mentors, and current professionals.
Shrusti Patel
Shrusti Patel (she/her) is a senior at North Carolina State University, majoring in Environmental Technology and Management with a minor in Environmental Toxicology. Originally hailing from India, she finds joy from her academic pursuits and explorations in the USA. With physics as her initial major, she found her passion in the field of environment while working as undergraduate research assistant on a study, tracking precipitation levels associated with increasing rate of deforestation over Gujarat region using GIS. Through a series of various projects, classes, and internships at NC State, her focus crystallized around occupational health and safety and aspires to pave her professional path towards becoming an industrial hygienist. She is excited to be a part of the James Buzzard Leadership Development Program to improve her skills of decision-making, problem-solving, team management, community engagement and learn diverse perspectives. She believes that the valuable assets that she will learn throughout this program will enhance her capabilities in her role as an industrial hygienist and elevate her leadership skills. Beyond her academic pursuits, she loves fine arts and crafts, and often gets herself involved in learning and exploring different cultural fine arts.
Tylene Powell
Tylene Powell is a junior majoring in Sport Management with minors in Business Administration and Nonprofit Studies. Her parents were in the military, so she lived around the South, although eventually settled in Charleston, SC. Tylene is passionate about the sport industry and wants to use it to bring communities together. Her goal is to work with a sport and recreation nonprofit or a professional sport organization’s community relations department in the future. She is very excited to be a part of the first cohort of students in the James Buzzard Leadership Development Program and is looking forward to building new relationships and learning more about herself and her strengths and weaknesses as a leader.
Allie Quinn
Allie Quinn (she/her) is a senior in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management with a concentration in Sports Management. Allie is from Elon, NC. She grew up around sports, which led to her pursuing an interest in a career working in sport. In the future she hopes to coach high school girls’ basketball and create future leaders. She is excited to be a part of this program to grow her knowledge on more effective leadership skills. Currently she is a manager for the NCSU Women’s Basketball team where she is around exceptional leadership every day.
Anika Rauch
Anika Rauch is a senior from Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a Natural Resources major with a concentration in Policy and Administration and a minor in Political Science. Anika has always had a passion for the environment, and combined this with her interest in law, she decided to pursue a career in environmental policy. To explore this interest, she participated in debate and speech, Science Olympiad, and youth and government during high school to develop her oratory skills. In college, she has pursued opportunities to work in the field and get experience with scientific data. Her interest in the James Buzzard Leadership Development program stems from her belief that there needs to be connection between field data and political actors to be effective in helping to shape natural resource policy. Anika is looking to develop her skill in communicating complex scientific information into digestible policies for the public and government sectors and believes the Buzzard Leadership Program will give her some of the tools and opportunities needed to help with this issue.
Ethan Robinson
Ethan Robinson is a senior from Franklinton, NC. He is majoring in Sport Management with a minor in Business Administration. He is passionate about community engagement, particularly in empowering black youth and finding avenues in sport to exert a positive influence, ultimately inspiring communities. His aspiration involves advancing his ongoing initiatives and broadening my perspective for a sports organization that places a focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), aligning with his goals as a social entrepreneur.
Kenia Barajas-Salazar
Kenia Barajas-Salazar (She/her) is a Junior at North Carolina State University majoring in Environmental Science and Zoology. Her hometown is Raleigh, NC, on the border of Tuscarora and Siouan territory. In 2022, she was a Doris Duke Conservation Scholar. She is excited about the awaiting adventures such as the enriching field trips, book discussions, and capstone project. She got interested in leadership through volunteering with different organizations and learning about the differences made in the communities through compassion and hard work. She enjoys the outdoors and learning about others. In the future, she hopes to be part of the pivot in conservation for wildlife and environmental injustices. She hopes to explore aspects of leadership and expand her social network with the great people she will be meeting in the James Buzzard Leadership Development Program.
Serenity Stueve
Serenity Stueve (she/her) is a junior in the College of Natural Resources studying Environmental Science. She is considering taking on a concentration in Sustainable Technology and Development to help innovate the strategies and techniques used within businesses and organizations in the future to decrease their negative environmental impact. She is originally from Apex, North Carolina and transferred from James Madison University as a sophomore to be closer to home and increase her academic rigor. In her free time, Serenity likes to thrift unique clothing pieces and explore her fashion sense as well as play relaxing games like Animal Crossing and Super Mario Brothers on her Nintendo Switch. She is very excited to be a part of the James Buzzard Leadership Program and network with extraordinary leaders as well as gain insight on how to harness her outgoing personality for leadership within her career.
Ella Taylor
Ella Taylor, (she/her), is a junior double majoring in Tourism and Event Management and Communications with a concentration in Public Relations. Ella is from Beaufort, North Carolina, where her love for tourism started on the coast. At NC State, Ella has been able to combine her passions for writing and tourism. Her goal is to create engaging content that not only immerses audiences in destinations but encourages responsible and sustainable tourism practices. Ella is thrilled to foster leadership and personal growth within an ever-evolving world while collaborating with like-minded peers during her time in the program.
Madisen Winters
Madisen Winters is a rising senior studying Environmental Sciences and concentrating in Geographic Information Systems. She is originally from the Charlotte area but grew up in Chicago, Illinois. Throughout high school she was involved in numerous environmental service projects which led her to the College of Natural Resources at NC State. Madison hopes to find ways in which environmental prosperity and societal development can coexist. Also, after college, she plans to pursue a graduate degree focusing on sustainability. Madison is very excited to be a part of the Buzzard Leadership Development program because she wants to expand her leadership capabilities through the program experiences.
