Matthew Ohlson, Executive Director, Taylor Leadership Institute at UNF
Invest: spoke with Matthew Ohlson, executive director of the Taylor Leadership Institute at the University of North Florida, about how instilling leadership as a core skill has created ample pathways for students and strengthened partnerships with businesses across the region. “We have students from around the world who are breaking down preconceived notions of what they are capable of,” he said. “We encourage our students to manifest their success, and employers have taken note of that confidence.”
What have been your key takeaways from the past year?
Leadership is such an important part of the college experience because it equips our students for the next phase in their careers. Leadership is a people business and so much of our work has been a result of partnerships. Students might not remember a grade or assessment they received, but they will remember the experiences and connections they made with leaders in the field. Students love the engagement that occurs outside the classroom or textbook. They want to sit down and learn directly from leaders in the field. These partnerships and mentoring programs have been award-winning, beating out several Ivy League schools. But while students want degrees and GPAs, I want that to be the least interesting thing about students. Every student in our leadership program gets access to an exclusive certification that normally costs thousands and gets a job out of it.
What is your view on leadership?
It comes down to confidence. Before anyone will believe in you as a leader, you have to believe in yourself. During the pandemic, students felt isolated, alone, and like they lost their sense of power because their goals and pathways were altered so significantly. We encourage our students in whatever they excel at so they can have the confidence to do great things. I work with a lot of professional and collegiate athletes and even at that level I see many suffer imposter syndrome that we must break through. We want our students to understand their talents and strengths and harness them, finding a field where they can lead in. I want our students to have an unwavering belief in themselves.
How is UNF addressing community engagement?
It comes down to listening. We started our mentoring program in 2008 by getting feedback from students. As the program grew, we began to reflect on how we were mentoring ourselves internally. We have collegiate achievement mentoring programs that are focused on student development because that is what they demand. Whatever the field, we will connect students with leaders to coach and mentor them. Students have choices now, and it’s something higher education must embrace. We must create great moments for them that go beyond teaching a class. We want to create a home and sense of family for our students. Coaching is what great leadership looks like because a rising tide lifts all boats.
How do you expect Taylor Leadership Institute to grow?
I want Taylor Leadership to be celebrated because of our students and the great things they’re doing. We have students from around the world who are breaking down preconceived notions of what they are capable of. Employers in Jacksonville love this diverse growth because it saves them from extensive recruitment processes. It comes down to students being able to tell their story, and because when they feel significant, they change for the better. We encourage our students to manifest their success, and employers have taken note of that confidence.
What is your outlook over the next two to three years?
It’s not where we’ve been; it’s where we’re going. We’re winning national awards against major universities. It’s challenging us to be in this conversation and to think about what we can do next. Leadership is the number one skill employers look for, and companies coming to Jacksonville aren’t just looking at grades. They want skills that can work well in teams and on deadlines. I want to be the best in the state at leadership and for Jacksonville to serve as its hub. We had two major openings in the university recently filled by former students, and it’s a testament to how we serve our students. We serve 1,000 students a year now, which is a 420% increase from 2019, while most places nationally have seen major drops in programming. UNF is a hub for leadership with robust partnerships in the city, and we hope that attracts more business to Jacksonville. It all starts with the leadership of our students.
