In 2020, Whitfield alumnus Robert Glassman (’02) made a gift to the school to establish the Glassman Leaders program. Each year, the initiative helps a promising group of upper school students develop public speaking, networking and interpersonal communication skills. This year’s cohort includes Winnie Murphy (’26) and Sarah Wooten (’24), who are excited to be able to apply the lessons they’re learning to their academic careers and beyond.
Wooten is president of the Black Student Union at Whitfield. Her interest in Glassman Leaders came from a desire to hone the skills necessary for leadership positions in and out of school. “I wanted to perfect my public speaking skills, as well as improve my communication with people my age and older,” she explains. “Being a part of the program is an achievement on its own that I’m proud of.” Similarly, Murphy was inspired to apply after participating in leadership development curriculum at Whitfield. “I really wanted to follow up and continue strengthening my leadership skills,” she notes. “After I was selected, I felt really grateful for the opportunity and excited for the potential to push myself outside of my comfort zone.”
As Glassman Leaders, Wooten and Murphy recently completed Generation.Next, a youth leadership course from Dale Carnegie. The program teaches teens how to strengthen interpersonal relations, manage stress and handle fast-changing conditions in school and in life. The goal of the program is to create persuasive communicators, creative problem solvers and confident and enthusiastic leaders. “The course really focuses on the core principles from Dale Carnegie’s books,” Wooten says. “We read experts and did activities centered around public speaking, managing stress and connecting with people you need to collaborate with. I enjoyed learning more about one-on-one communication and how to listen and be thoughtful, even if you’re working with someone you don’t agree with.”
Murphy benefitted from the collaborative nature of Generation.Next, especially getting to work with other students. “Everyone had similar goals, and we pushed each other to grow in our leadership skills,” Murphy says. “One of my favorite takeaways was becoming more comfortable receiving criticism. I can get in my head and feel attacked and embarrassed when receiving negative feedback. The program helped me learn not to see it as an insult. That’s a tool I can use to grow, and it will help me at school and in future jobs.”
As a senior, Wooten is excited to apply her experiences in Glassman Leaders to university next year. “It was great to be able to get outside of my comfort zone because college will be a new environment for me next year,” she notes. “Learning communication and leadership skills now will help me in the long term, and it’s not just a professional benefit. It will help me in my personal life as well.” Murphy adds, “People often think leadership is something innate that comes naturally to some people. but it’s important to remember that these are skills that can be learned and improved.”
Pictured at the top: Jenna Wasserman, Winnie Murphy and Sarah Wooten with Linda Colvis of Dale Carnegie
Photo courtesy of Whitfield School