The NextGen Leadership Institute is a three-week pre-college summer program offered by Barnard College that combines rigorous academics with leadership development for high school students. Participants choose from one of three specialized tracks (STEMinist, Writing and Literature, or Global Humanities) and take small classes taught by Barnard faculty and expert instructors. The program extends learning beyond the classroom through curated New York City experiences, including museum visits, guest talks, and site tours. It is a highly selective opportunity to develop both academic and leadership skills at one of the country's most respected women's colleges.
Designing studies, testing hypotheses, and drawing evidence-based conclusions.
Crafting original stories, poems, or scripts that express ideas and imagination.
Evaluating information carefully before drawing a conclusion or making a decision.
Guiding a group toward a shared goal and keeping everyone moving together.
Setting long-term goals and mapping out the steps to reach them.
Delivering ideas clearly and confidently in front of an audience.
Students build craft across fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and literary criticism through close reading and writing practice.
Students engage in academic coursework taught by expert instructors and Barnard faculty across humanities and STEM disciplines.
Leadership in Action series teaches practical tools for working with others, strategic thinking, and identifying community impact actions.
Community Experiences
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