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Each year, The Center for Leadership honors CU 91���Ҹ�’s most impactful student leaders through its Graduating Leaders of the Year Award. Among the 2026 cohort of 14 recipients, one Leeds major and two Leeds minors reflected on what the award means to them and how their Leeds experience strengthened their leadership skills.

Sena Kavi (Fin, BusAna’26)

Nominated through the Leeds Scholars Program, Sena Kavi credits Leeds with shaping both her leadership philosophy and her sense of purpose.

On receiving the Graduating Leader of the Year Award
“It is an honor to have received this award through the Leeds Scholars Program, which has played an instrumental part in my personal and professional growth during my time at Leeds. I hope to continue embodying the Colorado Creed beyond the bounds of the CU campus.”��

On her Leeds experience
“The leadership opportunities that shaped my CU experience were all tied to the Leeds Scholars Program, , and Leeds Student Government. Those experiences—and the people behind them—constantly pushed me to grow as a leader and as a person. Perhaps most importantly, Leeds has taught me to learn something from every person I have met. Young or old, experienced or inexperienced, different from me or similar to me: Each person has something that I can take away and embed in the way that I move through this world.”

On turning points and mentorship
“Experiential learning and consulting projects changed how I see my future. They made me passionate about giving back to the Leeds community so others can have the same opportunities to grow. And being a mentor figure at Leeds has taught me how to lead with compassion, humility and encouragement. I hope to continue serving as a mentor in my communities as I step into the real world.”

On what's next
From experiential learning to mentorship, Kavi's time at Leeds emphasized growth through service, curiosity and connection. She plans to carry those values forward as she begins her career as a business analyst with McKinsey & Company in Denver.

Tvishi Yendamuri (BioChem’26; Business Minor)��

Nominated by her mentor, , through the Dalai Lama Fellows Program, Yendamuri's fellowship project, which is focused on improving access to health resources for underserved communities in Colorado, has been shaped by strong mentorship, collaboration and community. As she looks ahead to medical school, she plans to build upon that momentum while continuing to explore leadership grounded in service and impact.

On receiving the Graduating Leader of the Year Award
“Receiving this recognition feels like a reflection of the collective effort behind my work. I’m especially grateful for the support and guidance of the Dalai Lama Fellows team, including Shubham Sapkota and Sebastian Villa Betancur, assistant professor of Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Operations at Leeds. This award has emboldened me to continue developing my project and expanding its impact.”

On the Leeds Business Minor
“The Business Minor provided a strong foundation across key areas of business, and I especially enjoyed the finance courses and the entrepreneurship capstone. The capstone was a valuable opportunity to apply concepts from across the program in a practical setting. Most importantly, the program taught me how to think and communicate in the language of business. That skill has been essential as I’ve developed and pitched my project for funding—and I know achieving those outcomes would have been much harder without that training.”

On leadership and finding her style
“As someone who is more introverted, leadership didn’t always come easily to me. For a long time, I struggled with the feeling that I didn’t fit the traditional image of a leader. Over time, I realized that leadership doesn’t have to be loud or centered on being the most visible person in the room. There is strength in being observant, listening closely, and understanding how to bring out the best in others. I hope my experience shows that there’s space for different kinds of leaders, and that quiet leadership can be just as impactful.”

On what’s next
“After graduation, I’ll be taking a gap year to prepare and apply to medical school. This summer, I was selected as a Critical Language Scholarship fellow and will spend two months studying Hindi in Jaipur, India. Afterward, I plan to work as a medical assistant or in a research role, continue my involvement with the free clinic and nonprofit I currently support, and further develop my fellowship project. I’m also looking forward to traveling and taking time to reflect before beginning the next phase.”

Andrew Marsh (StrComm’26, Business Minor)