Blazing Trails

New Texas Trailblazers organization unites leaders from across campus

Launched last fall, the Texas Trailblazers: Gay Gaddis Leadership Program is finishing its first year with a breadth of accomplishments. An initiative of the Center for Leadership and Ethics at the McCombs School of Business, the program will announce its second cohort at an event April 28.

The first cohort of 40 juniors and seniors from across The University of Texas at Austin campus launched a podcast, reimagined a required introductory Texas McCombs business course, drew a road map to revive Longhorn traditions, recommended upgrades for a communication course, and established structure and processes for the Trailblazers organization itself.

The program is the brainchild of Gay Gaddis, UT BFA ’77, an entrepreneur, renowned motivational speaker, member of Texas McCombs’ Dean’s Advisory Council, and inductee to the school’s Hall of Fame. Students from any school at UT Austin can apply to the selective program, which caps participation at 40 students per cohort. Selected students meet weekly for 14 weeks of hands-on leadership training, small-group speaker conversations, and real-world capstone projects that serve the University and the broader community.

Gaddis’ vision for endowing the organization was that Trailblazers could learn from accomplished leaders and Texas Exes about what to expect as they navigate the highs and lows of guiding teams and organizations in their future careers.

“For me, the biggest impact was being surrounded by other leaders,” says Trailblazers President Parker Bondy, who in May will earn a degree in sports management from the UT’s College of Education, with a minor in real estate from Texas McCombs. “I’d never been part of something where you have such highly accomplished individuals and faculty involved.”

He says one of the highlights is collaborating with students across a range of disciplines and personality types.

“How I’m thinking is not how a med student is thinking, I can promise you that,” Bondy says. “And how a med student is thinking is not how a business major is thinking. Getting to learn from each other is a special thing.”

Trailblazers formed five committees to work on capstone projects to apply the leadership lessons to real-world needs:

Longhorn Identity & Traditions

This committee of eight helped the University Events and Experience Team and the Office of the Dean of Students to create a road map to review and renew Longhorn traditions. A key priority was to introduce incoming freshmen to the rituals and roots of UT traditions that place student-led organizations at the heart of campus culture.

“So many of our UT traditions have been swept under the rug over the years, from the COVID-19 pandemic and controversy surrounding the Eyes of Texas, to splitting roles between student organizations,” says committee member Ella Folh, a nursing honors student who graduates next year. “We are excited to announce we have secured a designated session within each summer orientation to incorporate teachings on tradition and culture here on the Forty Acres.”

Tales From the Trail

This capstone team has developed a podcast by and about UT students. Called “Tales From the Trail,” it features thoughtful, 30-minute conversations with Longhorns who lead, such as student body president Hudson Thomas and Sarah Graves, a finance senior at McCombs and guard for the Texas Women’s Basketball team.

The capstone team handled editing in-house, developed marketing and distribution processes, and created the show’s structure with a consistent hook and ending. As students graduate, the podcast will continue with new producers and hosts each year — continuing to spread awareness of the Trailblazers brand.

“Having the ability to hear from UT students accomplishing outstanding things while providing them with a platform to share their stories with the community has been a unique opportunity and great experience,” says host and team member Quentin Moon, a BBA senior.

BA110 Course Development

A team of eight researched the root challenges of MAN 101, a peer-led course for all first-year McCombs students, and recommended improvements to adopt in its replacement, BA 110.

“Since many of us are McCombs or Canfield Business Honors Program students, we were able to draw directly from our own experiences to evaluate MAN 101 and identify areas for improvement,” said co-captain Grace Zhou, a BBA and MIS senior.

Working closely with Rosenthal Department of Management professor Caroline Bartel, the team developed three key deliverables: a former student experience survey, a course topics proposal, and a set of recommended digital tools.

“We’re proud of the impact this work can have on future McCombs students, and we’re excited to see how BA 110 evolves,” Zhou says.

Conversation Navigation Lab

A team of seven students, working with Texas LEAD in the Office of the Dean of Students, contributed to Conversation Navigation, a new student program in effective communication. The lab prepares students to connect with others across differences, manage conflict, and navigate difficult conversations. Program participants receive a badge upon completion.

The capstone committee made recommendations in three areas: refining the pre- and post-course feedback form given to participants; reimagining the design of the Conversation Navigation lab space; and offering feedback on the program itself, including module-specific improvements, holistic areas for growth, and future development ideas.

Internal Development Committee

This committee set a foundation and structure to make Texas Trailblazers a long-standing presence on campus. The team manages recruitment, alumni engagement, social media, internal programming, and merchandise to create a consistent experience for each new cohort.

A main goal was to create a recruitment system that establishes clear expectations and a fair way to evaluate applicants every year. Already, word of the program has spread: Applications grew 66% this year, and Parker describes the pool of applicants as “remarkable.”

Texas Trailblazers’ first alumni class hopes to forge a lasting network with ways to remain involved and connected. The Internal Development team is building a social media alumni network, a mentor program pairing past and present Trailblazers, and opportunities to support ongoing cohort activities and capstone projects.

One hope is that Texas Trailblazer alumni will stay connected with UT Austin and future Trailblazers down the road.

“The goal is to have an inclusive and vibrant alumni network that we can rely on in years to come,” Bondy says. “I cannot wait to see the impact that we have in two, three, five, and 10 years.”

Story by Sally Parker