The BernardP.McDonoughCenter

for Leadership and Business

at MariettaCollege

EXCEL Workshop Summer Reading Assignment

Before entering the EXCEL Workshop, each student is expected to complete a reading assignment.This reading assignment will prepare you for some of the activities we will be engaging in during the EXCEL Workshop, including a presentation by the HarvardCenter for Public Leadership.The reading and subsequent reflection will also be factored into your course grade for Leadership 101. Please contact us immediately if you have any trouble accessing the required documents.

The assigned readings are primarily derived from the “America’s Best Leaders,” project, a list of the top leaders globally that was published by U.S. News & World Report in conjunction with the HarvardCenter for Public Leadership.

Assignment Requirements:

  1. Log onto start by reading the following articles:
  2. “Choosing America’s Best Leaders 2008” (located on the right side of the page)
  3. After reading this article, examine the profiles of the 2008choices for America’s Best Leaders (21 profiles in all)

2After carefully considering the profiles you have read, select the two profilesthat you feel are the most effective leaders and write a response in which you explain your position.

  • The response should follow MLA formatting guidelines for headings and spacing (see the reverse of this page for an example). Your response should be two to three pages, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font.
  • Your response should explain your rationale for selecting these individuals as the two most influential contemporary leaders from this group based on the criteria provided in the “Choosing America’s Best Leaders 2008” article.
  • You will turn in this assignment at EXCEL registration.During EXCEL you will participate in an America’s Best Leaders simulation, which will draw on the required readings for this assignment, so your familiarity with the reading is important. Moreover, this paper will act as your first grade in Leadership 101, and will be discussed further by your class and instructor.

If any questions arise, please feel free to contact us via phone or email. You may contact Gama Perruci () or Christy Hockenberry ( or 740-376-4624). All of us are looking forward to seeing each and every one of you this coming August for the EXCEL Workshop!

The following example is taken from the PurdueWritingCenter. For more information about MLA formatting, see

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