Published November 30, 2015
The program, designed and led by Harvard faculty, focused on cutting edge leadership
principles in the United States.
Holland, in front of Harvard Kennedy School
不良研究所 graduate student, Alexandria Holland, joined the select group as part of the Louisiana
cohort for the Delta Regional Authority (DRA). The Delta Leadership Institute is a
three-entity collaboration with support from the entire eight-state region: The University
of Alabama鈥檚 College of Continuing Studies, Arkansas State University鈥檚 Delta Center
for Economic Development, and the University of Louisiana at Monroe鈥檚 Social Science
Research Laboratory.
鈥淚 am so honored and humbled to have had the opportunity to study at Harvard University,鈥�
said Holland. 鈥淚 want to thank my graduate supervisor, Dr. John Sutherlin, and DRA
Federal Co-Chairman, Chris Masingill, for providing me with such a wonderful opportunity
to learn, grow, and develop at Harvard University.鈥�
Harvard Kennedy School maintains an abiding commitment to advancing the public interest
by training skilled, exceptional leaders and solving public problems through world-class
scholarship and active engagement with practitioners and decision makers. The school
offers the depth, reflection, insight, and excellence of ideas and teaching that can
shape future leaders, affect public policies, and make an impact on people and their
daily lives.
鈥淭he leadership program was incredibly intense, but I know that I will be able to
utilize and apply this knowledge for the rest of my academic and professional careers.鈥澛�
Holland attended the leadership training with a group of 45 Delta Leadership Institute
alumni, all of which applied to partake in the program at Harvard. The program did
not fail to impress Holland, and the rest of the individuals in attendance, especially
with guest speaker David Gergen appearing at one of the dinner receptions. 聽 聽 聽聽
鈥淗aving the opportunity to listen and speak to Mr. David Gergen was truly an honor,
and a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.鈥澛�
David Gergen is a senior political analyst for CNN and has served as an adviser to
four U.S. presidents. He is a professor of public service and co-director of the Center
for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School.
鈥淚 cannot overemphasize how grateful I am for being able to attend the leadership
program at Harvard. Through the work of the DRA and the Social Science Research Laboratory,
I have been so very fortunate to be able to work and connect with such highly influential
people throughout the Delta region.鈥�
