Black and Gold Leadership Forum Black and Gold Leadership Forum Breadcrumb research centers and institutes west point leadership center black and gold leadership forum The mission of the Black and Gold Leadership Forum is to build stronger leaders for our Army by providing cadets the opportunity to engage with prominent leaders and leadership thinkers from all walks of life. These engagements include guest speakers at West Point and trip sections to visit and learn from world-class leaders and organizations. More About Black and GoldThe forum has taken cadets on trip sections to visit industry-leading companies, sports teams, and public sector leaders. Cadet trip sections have visited leading companies such as S&P Global, ESPN, and Google. At each company, cadets interacted with strategic leaders from the organization and learned about the nuances of leading in that context. Cadets also frequently discuss the West Point Leader Development System with the organizations they visit to help share how West Point develops leadership. Cadets have also interacted with leaders in the field of sports such as Coach Mike Krzyzewski and the NY Mets. The forum also has visited with public sector leaders at the US Capitol, the Pentagon, and the CIA. HistoryThe Black and Gold Leadership Forum was founded in 2003 by CPT Doug Crandall (BS&L Junior Rotating faculty member) when he saw an opportunity for cadets to broaden their study of leadership by interacting with leaders from outside the military. Cadets interact with military leaders daily, but the Black and Gold Leadership Forum creates the opportunity for them to broaden their understanding of leadership by communicating with leaders from the public and private sectors. Past Guest SpeakersIn addition to taking trips to interact with public and private sector leaders, the Black and Gold Leadership Forum frequently hosts visitors to West Point.Examples of past speakers: Indra Nooyi (former CEO of PepsiCo), Carly Fiorina (former CEO of Hewlett Packard), GEN(R) Anne Dunwoody (first female four-star general in the US Army), Leon Panetta (former SECDEF, White House Chief of Staff, and Director of the CIA), Ray Dalio (Founder and former CEO of Bridgewater Associates), President George W. Bush (2017 Thayer Award recipient). “After my short involvement with the B&G Leadership Forum, I have already seen the benefits and worth of the club. The club showed me how West Point cares about the development of their Cadets and commitment to enriching experiences. The B&G Leadership Forum also entertains the importance of ensuring the Cadets involved give back while learning as we visited the Legion Post and visited NYSE which was very unique and well-rounded. I am looking forward to more exciting trips this semester. “-James Outland (Class of 2023)“I found about the Black and Gold Leadership Forum by word of mouth, and after hearing about the mission of the club and its incredible opportunities, I immediately signed up. I am so glad I did. The two trip sections I have attended thus far with the club have been two of my most memorable and enriching experiences during my first semester at West Point. Our trip sections to engage with leaders in the private sector, the military, and other organizations are opportunities to learn valuable lessons that are hard to get in a strictly classroom setting. I learned far more about stocks and business by touring the New York Stock Exchange than I would have in a class alone. I am grateful for the opportunities provided by the Black and Gold Leadership Forum and more importantly for the network of driven cadets I have met through this club. “-Katherine Lareau (Class of 2025)“To me, the B&G Leadership Forum is a perspective on leadership outside of a uniform. I’m thankful to be able to grow myself on a team that embraces diverse forms of leadership.”-Fahad Abdulrazzaq (Class of 2024) Contact Us CPT Nichole Rotte, Officer In Charge BSLWPLC@westpoint.edu