01-28-2026
At Purdue’s Daniels School of Business, our foundation is built on strategic pillars, one of them being providing Transformative Student Experiences. Our students learn technical and essential skills during their time at the Daniels School, including critical thinking skills associated with communication and leadership. From traditional lectures to experiential learning environments to interactions with industry leaders, we strive to provide students numerous ways to learn foundational skills that will serve them well as they begin their careers and navigate the complexities of leading in modern organizations.
We are also constantly innovating and adopting new technology (i.e., we teach students how to leverage generative AI as a tool to level up their critical thinking and writing skills). We strive for every student to leave Purdue equipped with technical and essential communication and leadership skills.
One area where students (and organizational leaders more broadly) continuously need support and opportunities for growth is developing more self-awareness, emotional intelligence and skills for navigating professional relationships as they enter the workplace.
The fundamentals on this topic are taught in our core undergraduate business writing course, as well as in the Center for Working Well’s course on the Science of Working Well. However, for students to fully develop these skills requires individual attention and exploration that needs time away from the classroom for personal growth, something that has not fully been available — until now.
We are excited to announce that this spring the new Hayes Leadership Coaching Institute, housed within Purdue’s Center for Working Well, will offer undergraduate student executive coaching. Starting with a small group of students that will grow in number next year thanks to a donation from the Hayes Family Foundation, we will be one of the first business schools in the country to offer executive coaching to undergraduate students, at no cost to them.
The first undergraduate student cohort, named the Hayes Coaching Cohort, will work with an International Coaching Federation (ICF)-certified executive coach and explore their own professional development as an employee and emerging leader. They will have the opportunity in individual and group coaching to explore topics such as grit, resilience, persistence, communication styles, values-based leadership, working well and more. Students participating in coaching will also have the opportunity to attend Hayes Leadership Coaching Institute workshops and Center for Working Well events.
Beyond providing a transformative student experience, the Hayes Leadership Coaching Institute also partners with companies and organizations to offer customized leadership and working well engagements or journeys which have become a core offering from the Center for Working Well.
In addition, we are partnering with Daniels Executive Education and designing a six-week online cohort-based program, Leadership with Impact in a Changing World.
Starting in Fall 2026, our business partners will also have access to executive coaching with our ICF-certified coaching partners after completing one of our online programs or custom working well engagements.
The Hayes Leadership Coaching Institute is just getting started, and we could not be more excited about the positive impact it will have on so many people as they launch and navigate their careers.
With the naming and development of the Hayes Leadership Coaching Institute at the Center for Working Well, 2026 will be all about providing transformational experiences for our students, Purdue faculty and staff, our business partners and the broader community. In this season of growth and gratitude, we look forward to helping others work well and thrive as leaders in their organizations and communities.
This blog post is part of a series written by Professor Kasie Roberson. This series is designed to share best practices in business communication. Each article highlights a business communication principle or idea and actionable strategies.
Professor Kasie Roberson is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management and Head of the Hayes Leadership Coaching Institute in the Center for Working Well at the Mitch Daniels School of Business at Purdue University.
A strategic communication expert, executive coach, and award-winning faculty member, she is also the author of “Strategic Business Writing: A People-First Approach”, one of the first books to market to discuss best practices for using Artificial Intelligence in business writing.
Connect with Professor Roberson on LinkedIn or check out her “This Is Purdue” podcast episode on AI and Authenticity.
Professor Allison Gabriel is the Thomas J. Howatt Chair in Management in the Department of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management and Director of the Center for Working Well at the Mitch Daniels School of Business.
An internationally recognized scholar, educator, and speaker, Professor Gabriel is dedicated to advancing research and practice on employee well-being, thriving, and relationships at work. Through her work, she bridges science and practice to create healthier, more supportive workplaces for individuals and organizations alike.
Connect with Professor Gabriel on LinkedIn or check out her “This Is Purdue” podcast episode on Workplace Wellbeing.
If you are interested in scheduling Professor Roberson or Professor Gabriel as a speaker for your organization or company, please contact the Center for Working Well.
To learn more about how your company or organization can book an engagement or craft a working well journey, please contact us through the Center for Working Well’s Hayes Leadership Coaching Institute. Visit the Center for Working Well website if you are interested in learning more about additional events, many of which are free to the public.
This blog post provides general insights and best practices for business communication. It is for informational purposes only and should not be considered coaching, consulting or professional advice. Neither Professors Kasie Roberson and Allison Gabriel, nor the Mitch Daniels School of Business, nor Purdue University are responsible for how readers apply this information in practice. Readers should use their discretion and seek professional guidance as needed.
