Lawrence Van De Valk

In addition to curriculum design, management and delivery for the monthly seminars of the LEAD New York Program (2001 – present), Larry also conducts leadership-related workshops on a consultancy basis for a variety of stakeholder groups, both internal and external to Cornell University (locally, nationally and internationally). Most of these workshops are related to teambuilding, leadership assessments (e.g. MBTI, TKI, multi-rater assessments) and leadership development, communication skills, conflict management, organizational change and strategic planning, meeting management and/or effective board governance. Larry also serves on the annual forum program planning committee for the NYS Agricultural Society, and consults with other industry organizations on their educational, professional development and capacity building needs. He also serves on the facilitation team for LEAD21, a national leadership development program for faculty and extension staff from the land grant university system.

Larry teaches a required and highly rated leadership fundamentals course in the CALS undergraduate leadership minor. Students routinely comment that it was one of their favorite courses in their undergraduate career, and unlike most other courses they have taken in college. It is highly participatory and reflective, building skills and habits that he hopes they will continue to use throughout their lifelong leadership development journey.

He also serves as a guest lecturer in a number of different courses throughout the university.

Courses Taught

LEAD 3100: Foundations in Leadership

This course satisfies the Tier II requirement for the CALS Leadership Minor. The course frames leadership as a particular way of approaching life, one that is essential to both personal fulfillment and career effectiveness. The course begins with the inner work of a leader’s personal development and then explores how leaders work with and through others to enhance their influence. The course is intended to get the student started on an intentional, reflective leadership journey. By developing a fundamental understanding of leadership principals, students can use this foundational knowledge to craft their personal leadership development path for the remainder of their Cornell experience. Successful completion of the course does not represent and end to leadership studies, but rather a beginning of a lifelong leadership journey that will serve them well both personally and professionally.

LEAD 4970: UG Experience in Leadership

The capstone leadership experience for the Leadership Minor is designed with a member of the faculty or staff who directly supervises the experience, include learning outcomes, and is pre-approved by the director of the minor. The leadership experience can be directed through Cornell athletics, organized campus clubs, the Greek system, Cornell Outdoor Education, the Cornell Public Service Center, the residential system or other similar organization.

LEAD 4925: Leadership Minor ePortfolio

This course allows Leadership Minor students to demonstrate that they have met all learning outcomes for the minor by documenting relevant in-class and co-curricular activities in their individual ePortfolio. The ePortfolio is evaluated based on the following elements: a personal profile, leadership philosophy statement, leadership experiences, personal development, examples of how the learning outcomes for the minor have been met through the capstone experience, and reflective writing on the capstone experience.

• Van De Valk, L.J. (2001 – present). Cultivating Leadership (Editor – LEAD New York newsletter), Cornell University.
• Van De Valk, L. J., Constas, M. A. (2010). A Methodological Review of Research on Leadership Development and Social Capital: Is There a Cause and Effect Relationship?. Adult Education Quarterly, 61 (1), 73-90.
• Van De Valk, L. J., Trochim, W. M. (2010). Identifying Constructs in Leadership Development. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 14 (2), 93-99. - Not available online
• Van De Valk, L. J. (2008). Leadership Development and Social Capital: Is There a Relationship?. JOLE: Journal of Leadership Education, 7 (1), 47-64.