In addition to their public service degree coursework, the Reynolds Foundation Fellows participate in a vibrant cross-disciplinary program that augments and enriches what goes on inside the classroom. This cocurricular component, organized by the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, focuses on leadership development and social entrepreneurship. It is designed to develop the Fellows self-understanding and interpersonal skills while also helping them develop skills more specifically related to the challenges social entrepreneurs face. The inaugural class of Reynolds Foundation Fellows found the cocurricular program a rewarding and bonding experience. One fellow said, “I have had an absolutely spectacular year in the fellowship – from core learning in classes, to our exposure to inspirational speakers and mentors, a leadership seminar, the amazing fellows community and network, and the summit field trip to Los Angeles.” The main components of the cocurricular program include:

• Weekly seminars focusing on leadership development and social entrepreneurship taught by leading practitioners
• An annual field trip to gain firsthand experience of social entrepreneurs addressing social-sector challenges
• Networking events and a business plan award competition

Last year, the cocurricular program included such guest speakers as:

• Billy Shore, Founder and Executive Director, Share our Stength. Share our Strength is a national nonprofit that inspires and organizes individuals and businesses to share their strengths in innovative ways to help end hunger.
• J.B. Schramm, Founder and CEO, College Summit. College Summit puts students with low expectations through a three day college preparation marathon that now enables 79% of those that apply to get into college, and 80% of those graduate.
• Bill Drayton, CEO and Founder, Ashoka. Ashoka is the global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs—men and women with system changing solutions for the world’s most urgent social problems. Since 1981, Ashoka has elected over 1,800 leading social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows
• Geoffrey Canada, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Harlem Children’s Zone, The Harlem Children’s Zone is a pioneering, non-profit, community-based organization that works to enhance the quality of life for children and families in some of New York City's most devastated neighborhoods.

In addition, the Fellows went on a field trip to Los Angeles, where they visited several sites including Adlai Wertman, the CEO of Chrysalis, who works tirelessly addressing the 80,000 person homeless problem in LA and Father Boyle, the founder of Homeboy Industries, who works to reform the 85,000 plus gang members on the streets of LA. For 2006—2007, the cocurricular program will include the following activities:

• Lecture: “Stepping up to Leadership” with Wendy Kopp, President and Founder of Teach for America
• Personal Leadership Development workshop with the Ariel Group
• Operations Management workshop with Lisa Schorr, Associate Director of Knowledge and Evaluation at Bridgestar.
• Financial Management workshop with Valerie Bockstette, Managing Direcotr of New Sector Alliance
• Discussion with Cheryl Dorsey, President of Echoing Green
• Leadership Development workshop with Tim Butler, Director of Career Development Programs at the Harvard Business School
• Board Creation Panel with Vanessa Kirsh, President and Founder of New Profit, Inc., Eric Schwarz, President and CEO of Citizen Schools and Linda Whitlock, President and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston
• Measurement and Evaluation/ The Balanced Scorecard workshop with Robert Kaplan, Professor at the Harvard Business School
• Written Communications seminars with Jeff Seglin, Associate Professor, Emerson College