Leadership Development Program for Universities and Colleges
Today’s colleges and universities are expected to equip students with the skills to navigate change, foster healthy communities, and lead with purpose — both on campus and beyond. This requires more than classroom learning; it calls for practical, hands-on leadership development experiences that prepare students for real-world challenges.
SIGMA partners with colleges and universities to identify and develop the student leaders campus communities rely on. Through a suite of validated assessments, interactive workshops, and applied development tools, SIGMA helps institutions cultivate confident, capable leaders who are ready to thrive in a wide range of academic, professional, and community settings.
Trusted by Organizations Across North America
Join more than 8,500 organizations across North America that trust SIGMA with their leadership development.
How It Works
SIGMA’s postsecondary leadership program includes a series of assessments and debriefs, leadership workshops, and a kick-off and capstone session. Students move through a clear arc — assess, develop, and apply — building self-awareness, sharpening strategic skills, and learning how to create meaningful impact in their organizations and communities.
About the Assessments
Leadership Skills Profile – Revised® (LSP-R®)
The LSP-R assesses 50 key leadership competencies that are linked to leader performance. The assessment gives every student a personalized view of leadership strengths, areas for development, and natural leadership style early in the program. It prompts intentional reflection on the kind of leader each student aspires to become, helping them set clear goals and track growth over time. Together, these benefits offer a scalable, low-lift way to improve student success, strengthen career outcomes, and elevate the school’s brand in post-secondary education.
Jackson Career Explorer (JCE)
The JCE pinpoints each student’s interests, motivators, and preferred work environments, connecting personality to meaningful career paths and degree specialization choices. With a clear fit profile, students can plan with confidence — linking coursework to targeted roles — and craft stronger, more authentic employer-facing narratives. The assessment also prompts reflection on leadership identity, elevating career choices from simply a job to a sense of direction and purpose. Cohort results on job interests can also be used to sharpen career services and guide employer outreach toward areas of genuine demand.
Multidimensional Emotional Intelligence Assessment – Workplace – Revised (MEIA-W-R)
The MEIA-W-R assesses the behaviors that matter most to employers: self-awareness, empathy, resilience, and influence under pressure. Students learn how emotions shape decisions and communication, especially in high-stakes settings, and adopt strategies to foster psychological safety — a key driver of effective leadership. In the classroom, the MEIA-W-R initiates and normalizes constructive conversations about emotions, reducing conflict and improving project outcomes.
Why Leadership Assessments Matter in University and College
Make Smarter Talent Decisions
Identify strengths and development opportunities that help students to shape their education and careers. SIGMA’s data-driven assessments offer meaningful insights into leadership skills, career interests, and emotional intelligence, supporting intentional development in clubs, residence life, student government, peer mentorship, and experiential learning opportunities.
Get Reports That Matter
Access clear, actionable leadership competency reports that highlight student strengths, growth areas, and development opportunities. These insights support advisors, program directors, and student affairs teams in coaching students, facilitating workshops, and fostering collaboration across campus groups.
Scale Effortlessly
Administer leadership assessments online in just 25 minutes — ideal for busy students and multi-department programs. Whether the focus is on a single leadership cohort or on integrating assessments across residence life, student affairs, athletics, and academic programs, SIGMA makes it easy to scale development initiatives across campus.
Drive Measurable Impact
Use data to drive meaningful student growth at every stage of the leadership journey. SIGMA’s assessments, workshops, and development templates help colleges and universities build robust leadership programs that strengthen student engagement, support career readiness, and prepare learners to succeed beyond graduation.
How SIGMA’s Leadership Assessments Support Postsecondary Institutions
SIGMA’s assessments provide universities and colleges with an evidence-based approach to leadership development, ensuring that student services are supported by validated data, proven processes, and practical tools.
Define What Leadership Means in Context
Identify the leadership competencies that underpin success in academic and co-curricular settings, including visionary thinking, adaptability, collaboration, or technical communication.
Download Template: Leadership Competency Requirements Activity
Establish a Baseline for Development
Assess current leadership capabilities across student groups to identify skill gaps and prioritize development opportunities aligned with strategic objectives.
Learn More: LSP-R® Leadership Competency Assessment
Take the LSP-R® Free Trial
Create Individual Development Plans (IDPs)
Develop personalized growth plans that help students strengthen their leadership skills and prepare for critical roles on campus and beyond.
Download Template: Development Actions Form
Build Coaching Capacity
Empower your staff with the tools they need to mentor confidently, spark creativity, and cultivate stronger, more cohesive teams. This training is ideal for anyone supporting students in a one-on-one capacity, including guidance and career counselors, professors, and student leaders.
Learn More: Coaching Training
Reinforce Learning with Group Training
Integrate assessments into coaching programs, workshops, and competency-based training sessions to promote collective leadership growth.
Learn More: Leadership Development Workshops
Download Guides: Leadership Development Series
Measure Progress and Demonstrate Impact
Track leadership growth and engagement over time to demonstrate return on investment and support continuous improvement across programs.
Download Template: Talent Progress Scorecard
What Our Clients Say
Creative Organizational Design (COD) has partnered with SIGMA Assessments for nearly two decades and I can report that they deliver simply excellent tools… COD has worked with many such vendors during our nearly 50 years of existence, and SIGMA stands apart … (SIGMA) is one of our “go-tos” when recommending solutions to our clients … Both we and our clients are consistently thrilled and amazed by the quality and accuracy of the results… SIGMA is a joy to work with and I can’t say enough about how highly we regard what they produce, how they market their products and services, and how they handle delivery, pricing, and customer service.
J. David Towler, MA
President, Creative Organizational Design
Apply SIGMA’s Leadership Solutions Across Your Campus
From academic departments building foundational leadership development programs to institution-wide initiatives supporting diverse student and staff populations, SIGMA’s validated leadership assessments equip colleges and universities with deeper talent insights and more strategic guidance. Our tools help campus leaders make informed selection and promotion decisions, support the growth of high-potential students and employees, and strengthen the leadership pipelines that will shape your institution’s future.
Experience SIGMA’s Leadership Assessment for Free
Try SIGMA’s leadership assessments for free and receive a personalized Focus Report with development templates tailored to your unique leadership competencies.
Speak with Our Team
Ready to take the next step? Our team is available to discuss your needs, provide tailored insights, and help you determine how SIGMA’s tools can best support your campus community. Please complete the form below and we’ll be in touch with you shortly.