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CLIMB Programs

In the Executive's Chair

In the Executives Chair is an elective course offered at California State University San Marcos. Through the duration of the course, students hear from business leaders during an extensive panel interview and question and answer session.

Speaker Seminars

In the Speaker Seminars, executives, community leaders and academics share their experiences and knowledge about leadership through insightful lectures and discussions.

Compassionate Leadership Experience (CLE) 

Thanks to a generous gift in 2021from Lily and Jimmy Thai (MBA, ’00) through their Build a School Foundation, CLIMB now offers a Compassionate Leadership Experience.  The Compassionate Leadership Experience provides nonprofits with limited funds the opportunity to participate in the College of Business Administration’s Senior Experience Program. CLIMB Executive Director, Dr. Raj Pillai worked with the Thais to create the Compassionate Leadership experience through projects submitted to Senior Experience. The goal is to develop compassionate student leaders who will work on projects that help underserved communities (e.g., solutions for the homeless, financial literacy for high school students, societal change through Boys and Girls clubs and other opportunities for impact).  

The CLE grant also supports a Compassionate Leadership Certificate for students and mini-Grants for individual or group projects (e.g., involving CoBA student club members) to work on a short-term project in the community that is targeted at underserved populations.   

Watch our CLE video, where students talk about how CLE has impacted them!

James R. Meindl Student Leadership Award

A prestigious award is named after James R. Meindl, whose unique research and teaching in the area of leadership had a tremendous impact on the field and inspired many of his students and colleagues alike. At the conclusion of each academic year, CLIMB honors a graduating senior from the College of Business Administration who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and/or mentorship in school, at work, and/or in the community with the James R. Meindl Student Leadership Award.

CLIMB Outstanding Business Leader Award

Each year, CLIMB selects one business leader who typifies the philosophy of the Center and is an exemplar of economic innovation, community involvement, philanthropic contributions, as well as business success for the Outstanding Business Leader Award. It is hoped that these leaders will serve as role models for the next generation of business leaders... our students.

Leadership Workshops

CLIMB has experienced faculty members who are available to provide leadership training on a variety of leadership topics such as leadership styles, team leadership, women and leadership, managing diversity and leadership through film. Faculty have been involved with workshops and presentations at various organizations.