Emily Korn , of Midland, begins new year with SVSU Vitito Global Leaders

2013 Sep 3

Emily Korn , of Midland, returned this fall to build upon impressive beginnings with a leadership development program at Saginaw Valley State University. Korn , an International Business major, is one of 12 students participating in the university's Vitito Global Leadership Institute.

A student group's work with a humanitarian hero was among the highlights of the inaugural semester for the Vitito Global Leadership Institute, which provides leadership development over a nearly 2-year span.

George Puia -- associate dean of SVSU's College of Business and Management, and the Dow Chemical Co. Centennial Chair in Global Business -- said the 12 students selected in the winter divided into four teams to tackle "mini-projects."

Examples included producing inspirational videos, raising awareness about the SVSU Special Olympics and recruiting students to help open Saginaw's Children's Zoo at Celebration Square for the season.

"All the groups surpassed our expectations at every level," Puia said. "We're excited at what the next two semesters will hold."

One group worked to gather financial support and clothing for people in Haiti, where a 2010 earthquake left thousands still homeless today.

The Vitito project connected the students with Dr. Audrey Stryker, an obstetrician/gynecologist in Saginaw and leader of the iWish Foundation, which seeks sustainable healthcare for women and infants internationally.

Stryker earned the 2011 American Red Cross Humanitarian Hero of the Year award from the Saginaw branch in recognition for her mission work following the Haiti earthquake.

"You expect students to do well," Puia said of the projects. "They really blew us away."

About the Vitito Global Leadership Institute

Bobbi and Bob Vitito, a retired president and chief executive officer at Citizens Banking Corporation, have established this endowment to provide an accelerated and in-depth leadership development program for SVSU's most promising juniors and seniors in the College of Business Management. The goal of the Vitito Global Leadership Institute is to foster a deep understanding of the importance of leadership in a global context and its role in transforming organizations and communities.