Hollingsworth Center for Ethical Leadership

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Hollingsworth Center for Ethical Leadership Ethical Leadership Development || Career Readiness

The Hollingsworth Center for Ethical Leadership (HCEL) directly supports the Corps' mission statement and enhances students’ capacities to be value-adding leaders in both the public and private sectors.

We are honored to read and share this story. We strive to provide meaningful connection and real-world, relatable leader...
05/10/2026

We are honored to read and share this story. We strive to provide meaningful connection and real-world, relatable leadership education to prepare our students for life’s challenges. We’re so proud of these four Aggies and many, many others that have been through our program. Gig Em!

That's a Wrap! Our 2026 Texas A&M University Spring Semester is coming to a close. Our students are preparing for finals...
04/28/2026

That's a Wrap! Our 2026 Texas A&M University Spring Semester is coming to a close. Our students are preparing for finals, and a majority of our seniors are preparing for graduation. As we conclude this semester, we’d like to reflect on a handful of moments.

1. The Hollingsworth Center’s first semester teaching our Freshman SOMS 181 course.

2. Our successful Etiquette banquet and lesson.

3. Our 2026 Seniors earning their Applied Ethical Leadership Certificates!

4. The beginning of our 101 series, where we asked our Instructors for quick tips on all things resume, career, and interviews!

5. Our Texas A&M Corps of Cadets of Cadets for making it to Final Review!

Thank you to our staff for your dedication, energy, leadership, and effort throughout the semester. To our partners, speakers, and special guests, we appreciate getting to work with you all to put on events and further support our students. And, most importantly, thank you to our students for your hard work and growth mindset throughout the semester. BTHO Finals, enjoy the summer break, and we look forward to seeing our returning students next fall.

Congratulations on another semester well done!

Thanks & Gig ‘Em

Be 1% better than you were yesterday, every single day. Dr. Paine’s SOMS 281 class covered many different topics with a ...
04/24/2026

Be 1% better than you were yesterday, every single day. Dr. Paine’s SOMS 281 class covered many different topics with a focus on the fundamentals of intentional leadership and assessment. Examples of topics include: transitioning from self to team leadership, aligning talent with mission accomplishment and the commander’s intent, team goal setting, and conflict resolution.

The SOMS 281 focuses on the transition from self to team leadership. 281 is about learning how to lead a larger team– preparing our students for their roles as Juniors and giving them the tools to take these lessons into civilian or military careers.

Dr. Paine charges his class with one hope– that they take one thing from each class. “If they can walk away with at least one thing that's valuable in that lesson, that is a success.” He wants two things for his students: for them to truly think for themselves and for them to be a little bit better than they were yesterday. “They're already smart enough to get into TAMU, they're challenging themselves by being in the Corps. I want them to be 1% better than they were yesterday, every single day. If they can do that, they can accomplish anything.”

Leadership, you are never alone. In Dr. Neill’s SOMS 381 course, she lectured on toxic leadership. What it may look like...
04/22/2026

Leadership, you are never alone. In Dr. Neill’s SOMS 381 course, she lectured on toxic leadership. What it may look like, how to handle it, and approaches to avoid becoming a toxic leader. Her goal with this lesson was to provide her students with tools to make their marble jar of trust more authentic. This lesson is important for all walks of leadership, whether big or small, public or private, in the workplace or at home. Because when you’re a leader, you are never alone.

SOMS 381 serves as a continuation of learning fundamentals to small group leadership dynamics. We explore topics in interpersonal communication, applied leadership theories, and individual assessments that shape an individual's unique leadership style based on their strengths, traits, and values. Our intent is for our students to gain an understanding of leadership in small groups and how their own strengths and values factor into these small group dynamics so when they take their next roles at A&M or in life. This course precedes the senior level course which expands the focus to leadership in organizations.

SOMS 181, Freshman leadership lessons! In Col. Todd Daniel’s 181 course, the topic of discussion was followership. They ...
04/20/2026

SOMS 181, Freshman leadership lessons! In Col. Todd Daniel’s 181 course, the topic of discussion was followership. They covered follower types and follower styles, and even played out a scenario in which four students were tasked as leaders, and the other students were given follower types to portray. The importance of this lesson was to demonstrate and practice approaches to leading various types of followers and to show how followers can help or hurt their leader’s goals and vision.

SOMS 181 serves as an introduction to leadership, mentoring, and instructing others. Our intent is for our students to gain an understanding of subordinate instruction and evaluation techniques as they prepare to step into their next roles in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets and at Texas A&M University.

2026 Leadership Certificate Banquet! Wednesday night, we celebrated our 2026 seniors who have gone above and beyond by c...
04/17/2026

2026 Leadership Certificate Banquet! Wednesday night, we celebrated our 2026 seniors who have gone above and beyond by completing the requirements for our leadership certificate. We partner with the National Medal of Honor Griffin Institute to expand our SOMS courses by examining leadership that was applied and recognized among Medal of Honor recipients. The Hollingsworth Leadership Certificate is an interdisciplinary credential that prepares students for leadership roles across many career fields. The certificate is designed to provide students with a theoretical understanding of leadership studies while requiring application through experience and personal development.

Thank you to our partner, the National Medal of Honor Museum Griffin Institute, for your continued partnership in shaping ethical leaders. A special thank you to the Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets Association and their donors for sponsoring our banquet and helping celebrate and support our seniors. Thank you to our seniors for your drive to excel. We are incredibly proud of your hard work and look forward to seeing the impact you will make in the world after graduation.

Congratulations, Class of 2026 Certificate Recipients
& Gig ‘Em!

A look at our senior level, 482 SOMS! Dr. Keller’s section of 482 focused on Behavioral Integrity, with real-world scena...
04/14/2026

A look at our senior level, 482 SOMS! Dr. Keller’s section of 482 focused on Behavioral Integrity, with real-world scenarios used for discussion. The class started similarly as it does every week: good things, interview tips, and a nugget of wisdom from Dr. Keller. He then posed a thought-provoking question: “Is it possible to lie without speaking?” Beginning the lesson on Behavioral Integrity. Our students were actively engaged throughout the course and ready to dive into discussion throughout.

SOMS 482 is designed to discuss ethical dilemmas in leadership roles. We explore ethical decision-making and personal accountability in organizational settings through discussions and critical thinking. Our intent is for our students to recognize and face challenges they may encounter to help them grow as leaders.

Dining with Confidence! Last Wednesday, the Hollingsworth Center hosted a "Dining with Confidence" session for our SOMS ...
04/01/2026

Dining with Confidence! Last Wednesday, the Hollingsworth Center hosted a "Dining with Confidence" session for our SOMS students. Guided by Dr. Donna Lee Sullins, students mastered the etiquette needed to navigate high-stakes environments—whether with business partners, future employers, or a significant other’s parents and dine with poise and professional confidence. This skill fits both the professional and personal worlds, a skill our SOMS students are now equipped with.

Special thanks to:

- Dr. Sullins for leading an incredible lesson.
- Mr. & Mrs. Frank and Sherry Closner for their presence, generosity, and for making this event possible.
- Commandant Lieutenant General James Bierman and our dedicated Hollingsworth staff for engaging with our students throughout the evening.
- College Station Hilton for hosting and catering our event.

Finally, thank you to our Cadets and SOMS students for attending! We loved sharing a meal and seeing you all grow in your leadership and life journey.

Thanks and Gig ‘Em

Cadet to Medicine! Monday afternoon, we had the program manager for the TAMU Military Medicine Program, Rebecca Itz, and...
03/27/2026

Cadet to Medicine! Monday afternoon, we had the program manager for the TAMU Military Medicine Program, Rebecca Itz, and Col (Ret) Dr. Jim Lucas, from the Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine, join us. They shared with our cadets about the Cadet to Medicine Program at Texas A&M University, as well as other programs they could look at as alternative options. We also had recruiters from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and Texas Army National Guard Recruiting speak about how medical programs and the medical field operate in their branches. An exceptional opportunity to learn more for our cadets interested in the medical field and service

Thanks & Gig ‘Em

Cadets who are interested in learning more, here is their website: https://medicine.tamu.edu/military

Legacy, Passion, Impact, and Leadership! After years of dedicated active service to the nation and the Hollingsworth Cen...
02/03/2026

Legacy, Passion, Impact, and Leadership! After years of dedicated active service to the nation and the Hollingsworth Center, Col. Allison has stepped into a new role serving the US Space Force’s Captain’s Leadership Course here at Texas A&M University.

We are deeply grateful for the remarkable service of Colonel Kenneth Allison (USAF, Retired), who served as Associate Director of the Hollingsworth Center for Ethical Leadership from 2013–2025 and as one of the Center’s original members.

During his tenure, Col. Allison established and led the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Career Readiness Program, supporting more than 2,500 cadets in their transition from the Corps to the professional workforce. Through strategic partnerships across the university and with over 400 companies, he delivered workshops, seminars, and direct employment opportunities, contributing to a 93%+ post-graduation job success rate for senior cadets.

He also founded the Corps of Cadets Intentional Leadership Conference in 2016, creating a premier forum that has welcomed CEOs, university presidents, elected officials, and distinguished former students to inspire and develop the next generation of leaders.

Thank you, Col. Allison, for your vision, passion, leadership, and lasting impact on our cadets, our university, and our mission. Your legacy will continue to shape leaders for years to come and will certainly guide our USSPACEFORCE Guardians as an integral part of their Captain's Leadership Course!

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611 Lewis Street
College Station, TX
77840

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