PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• In the active pursuit of history, Student Leadership Academy equips students with essential knowledge while placing them in the shoes of key figures from the WWII era. Participants will be challenged both individually and as a team as they analyze strategic decisions, confront ethical dilemmas, and navigate complex, no-win scenarios, just like the real-life leaders they are studying.
• Each program session is rooted in the Museum’s collection utilizing oral histories, public exhibits, first-person live interviews with World War II and veterans of other wars.
• Students will hear from World War II scholars and leaders in the Museum community.
• Excursions around New Orleans bring the city’s more than three centuries of history to life and offer an unmatched opportunity to learn from one of the most unique places in the United States.
• Student Leadership Academy participants may elect to take an online humanities course instructed by a member of the History Department at Nicholls State University, located in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Assignments will include discussions and papers on assigned readings. Assignments will be graded, and students who pass the course will earn three transferable college credit hours. 

OBJECTIVES & ACADEMIC BENEFITS

During the program, students will work on answering these essential questions:

• What does leadership look like, and how can the stories of World War II and its participants shape our modern understanding of what it means to lead?

By the end of the program, students should be able to:

• Articulate their personal definition of leadership
• Cite attributes of leadership
• Define different leadership styles
• Articulate their personal strengths, values, passions, and interests
• Develop leadership skills
• Enhance research skills through both primary and secondary source research
• Improve presentation and debate skills by presenting to both peers and Museum professionals
• Synthesize the key events and personal stories of World War II into our collective understanding of leadership 

Targeted Leadership Attributes:

• Team Building
• Vision
• Perseverance
• Decision-Making
• Communication
• Commitment to Learning

Student Leadership Academy tuition for 2026 is $1,840*. All accepted participants will receive full scholarship coverage of this program cost.

*Does not include optional Nicholls State University course credit fee of approximately $875, which will be paid directly to the university and is the responsibility of the student.

Program Includes

• Chaperones including Museum Education staff and high school educators
• Pre-program communication with Museum Education staff member
• Pre-program readings and books
• Airfare travel to and from New Orleans
• Accommodations in New Orleans at The Higgins Hotel & Conference Center on the Museum's campus
• Behind-the-scenes access at The National WWII Museum
• Entrance fees to all sites, museums, and historic attractions in itinerary
• Private motor coach transportation to off-site excursions
• Gratuities to guides, drivers, porters, and servers
• All meals during the program

Student Leadership Academy applications open October 27, 2025.  

The deadline to apply is January 23, 2026.

APPLY NOW

To inquire about participating in this experience, please contact our Student Programs Department at student.programs@nationalww2museum.org by January 10, 2026.

Complete the form above or email student.travel@nationalww2museum.org if you have any questions.