Program Details

The Presidential Leadership Institute begins on July 6 and concludes on July 12 2025.  Participants will arrive on the campus of York University in York, Nebraska on July 6 and the program will begin that evening (shuttle services are provided for those arriving by plane in Omaha).
 

Highlights of the program include (subject to change):
 

• VIP Tour of the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
• The opportunity to meet and interact with Mary Eisenhower (granddaughter of President Dwight Eisenhower).  
• Special classes taught by members of the York University faculty.
• Team building projects designed specifically for your school.
• Classes taught by leaders such as Dr. Nathan Mellor, CEO of Strata Leadership, LLC, the world's largest character based leadership company and other academic and business leaders.
• Personal interaction with Jared Stark, Interim President of York University.
• Daily spiritual emphasis highlighted with nightly devotionals.

Sunday, July 7

12:00 pm-6:00 pm    Move into Studebaker Apartments

7:00 pm                    Kick-Off Dinner - Dr. Nathan Mellor (Miller Room)

8:30 pm         Introductions & Orientation/Sponsors’ meeting/campus tour

9:30 pm                    Sunday Evening Worship (Prayer Chapel) 

11:00 pm                  Lights out!

Monday, July 8

7:30 am                     Breakfast (Mackey Cafeteria)

8:15 am                     Presentation - Dr. Nathan Mellor (Cornerstone Room) 

9:00 am                     School teams meet to define projects (assigned locations)

                        Sponsor Track: Glenn Dallmann (McNeese Conference Room)

10:30 am                   Presentation - Dr. Steve Eckman  (Cornerstone Room) 

11:30 am                   Lunch (Mackey Cafeteria)

1:00 pm                    Presentation - Dr. Jim Ice (Cornerstone Room) 

2:00 pm                    Presentation - Tami Heim (Cornerstone Room) 

3:00 pm                    Break

3:30 pm                    Presentation - Dr. Jared Pack (Cornerstone Room)

5:00 pm                    Dinner (Mackey Cafeteria)

6:00 pm                   Group activity (Planned by YU Admissions)

8:00 pm                    School Teams meeting (assigned locations)

                     Sponsor Track: Dr. Jim Ice (McNeese Conference Room)

9:00 pm                    Assigned group recap of the day (Mackey Cafeteria)

9:30 pm                    Presentations by assigned groups (Cornerstone Room)

10:00 pm                  Devotional (McGehee steps)            

11:00 pm                  Lights out!    

Tuesday, July 9

6:45 am                     Depart for Abilene, KS - Breakfast on the bus (Mackey Center)

9:30 am                     Eisenhower Library and Museum Tour – Mary Eisenhower

12:15 pm                    Lunch – Eisenhower Library Courtyard

3:00 pm                    Eisenhower Library Auditorium–Mary Eisenhower/Dr. Jared Pack

4:00 pm                    Return to York

6:30 pm                    Dinner

7:30 pm                    School Teams (assigned locations)

                      Sponsor Track: Joanna Carver (McNeese Conference Room)

9:00 pm                    Assigned group recap of the day (Mackey Cafeteria)

9:30 pm                    Presentations by assigned groups (Cornerstone Room)

10:00 pm                  Devotional (McGehee Steps)

11:00 pm                  Lights out!

Wednesday, July 10

7:30 am                     Breakfast

8:15 am                     School Teams (assigned locations)

Sponsor Track: Howard Todd

9:30 am                     Presentation - Thomas Hill  (Cornerstone Room)

10:30 am                   Presentation - Amy Mason (Cornerstone Room)

11:30 am                   Lunch (Mackey Cafeteria)

12:30 pm                  School teams (assigned locations)

                       Sponsor Track: Dr. Jared Pack (McNeese Conference Room)

3:00 pm         Group activity (Escape Rooms done by Escape Aurora)

5:00 pm                    Dinner (Mackey Cafeteria)

6:00 pm                    Presentation - Jared Stark (Cornerstone Room)

7:00 pm                    Presentation - Coaches Panel (Cornerstone Room) 

8:00 pm                    Assigned group recap of the day (Mackey Cafeteria)

8:45 pm                    Presentations by assigned groups (Cornerstone Room)

10:00 pm                  Ice Cream & Devotional (McGehee steps)

11:00 pm                  Lights out!

Thursday, July 11

7:00 am                     Breakfast (Mackey Cafeteria)

7:30 am                     Board bus for Lincoln, NE (Mackey Center)

9:00 am            Nebraska Unicameral – Former Speaker Greg Adams

10:30 am                    Tour of Nebraska State Capitol Building

12:00 pm                    Lunch at Lincoln Station Great Hall–Sue Crawford

2:00 pm                     Return to York

3:30 pm                      School Teams (assigned locations)

                  Sponsor Track: Howard Todd (McNeese Conference Room)

5:30 pm                     Dinner

6:30 pm     Group Activity (Deal or No Deal)        

8:30 pm                      Assigned group recap of the day (Mackey Cafeteria)

9:30 pm                  Devotional (Guys–Spiritual Life Center; Girls–Prayer Chapel)

11:00 pm                    Lights out!

Friday, July 12

7:00 am                     Breakfast

8:00 am                     Presentation -YC Student Panel (Cornerstone Room)

8:45 am                     Presentation - Roni Miller (Cornerstone Room)

9:30 am                     Assigned group wrap-up/lessons learned/evaluation

10:00 am                   Presentations by assigned groups (Cornerstone Room)

10:45 am                   Team planning session (assigned locations)

12:00 pm                  Lunch (Mackey Cafeteria)

1:00 pm                    Final team planning session (scheduled practice in BPAC)

3:00 pm                    Team presentations (Bartholomew Performing Arts Center)

6:00 pm                    Awards Banquet/final comments - Dr. Jared Pack (Miller Room)

8:30 pm                    Open Mic Night! (The Spiritual Life Center)

9:30 pm                    Devotional (The Spiritual Life Center)

12:00 am                   Lights out!

Saturday, July 13     

6:30-9:00 am   Continental Breakfast (Studebaker Apartments Lobby)

Breakfast Meals:

Quick breakfast (travel day):

• Assorted Quiche, sausage or bacon egg croissants

Full breakfasts (regular days):

• Scrambled eggs, bacon, chorizo, Spanish potatoes, tortillas, refried beans, roasted peppers, fried polenta cakes
• Scrambled eggs, eggs to order, bagel and lox, English muffins, sausage, grilled ham, Hollandaise, hash browns, oatmeal
• Biscuits and gravy, omelets, bacon, sausage, grits, scrambled eggs, hash brown patties, breakfast pizza,

All Breakfasts include continental: yogurt, fresh fruit, granola, bagels and cream cheese, doughnuts, hard-boiled eggs, cheese plate, muffins, croissants, cereal

Lunch Meals:

• Lamb or Chicken Gyros, Chips, Hummus & Tapenade Bar
• BBQ Smoked Pork Sandwiches, Brisket Sandwiches, Baked Beans, Broccoli
• Grilled Chicken or Shrimp Caesar Salads, Spinach salad, Pita Pockets with Chicken/Tuna Salad

All lunches include salad bar, dessert bar and ice cream.

Dinner Meals:

• Sweet & Sour Chicken, Crispy Orange Beef, Fried Rice, Crab Rangoons, Eggrolls
• Hamburgers, Hot dogs, Chicken, with fixings.
• Individual Chicken Pot Pies, Beef Wellington, Brussel Sprouts, Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Chicken Parmesan, Shrimp Alfredo, Garlic Bread, Green Beans.

All dinners include salad bar, dessert bar and ice cream.

Friday night awards banquet:

• Grilled halloumis salad with mandarin orange vinaigrette, Roasted chicken with lemon thyme cream, wild mushroom rice, zucchini & squash, mixed berry and chocolate cheesecake.

Sunday night banquet:

• Frilled flank steak, Teriyaki grilled salmon w/ pineapple, rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, honey dill carrots, green beans, fruit of the forest pie.

* Special meals can be cooked to order for those who have special dietary needs.