Leadership Dawgs Conference

The Institute for Leadership Advancement's (ILA) alumni leadership development program, Leadership Dawgs. The program is offered exclusivelyto UGA alumni.

Leadership Dawgs which includes two in-person meetings alternating between Atlanta and Athens occuring on the following dates:

Meeting 1: February 20-February 21, 2026 - Terry Executive Education Center in BuckheadMeeting 2: February 26, 2027 - Business Learning Community (Terry College of Business, University of Georgia) in Athens. Leadership Dawgs is a leadership development program that teaches personal and professional leadership and is available only to UGA alumni (undergrad or graduate program). The program, which includes two in-person meetings (dates listed above) alternating between Atlanta and Athens, challenges UGA alums to unlock their potential to:

Maximize their leadership capacityOptimize their team’s performanceCultivate a diverse professional networkCreate impact in the state of Georgia At the end of the first-weekend meeting, the students–Leadership Dawgs–having identified their strengths, values, and motivations, then work in teams to execute a six-month Community Impact Project (CIP) aimed at supporting the needs of a Georgia-based nonprofit. Through this community engagement, Leadership Dawgs begin their journey to create impact in their communities.

To wrap up the program, Leadership Dawgs return to attend content sessions and share the outcomes of their CIPs. A panel of Leadership Dawgs faculty evaluates the CIPs and identifies the top three teams who will share in prize money up to $10,000.

After completing the curriculum and attending both meetings, participants will earn a Professional Certificate in Personal and Organizational Leadership. They will also receive a digital badge from Credly to showcase their achievement on LinkedIn and other platforms.

Meeting 1: Friday, February 20 (all day) and Saturday, February 21 (8:00 am - 1:30 pm) in Atlanta, Georgia (Terry Executive Education Center)

Meeting 2: Friday, February 26 (all day) in Athens, Georgia (Terry Business Learning Community, UGA)