About
STEM Programs at Center for Leadership Development include hands-on learning about engineering concepts, group projects with Purdue engineering students and faculty, and participating in STEM activities. Students can shadow trauma services staff, tour Eskenazi Hospital, and take part in shadowing and touring as part of a health sciences workforce pathway program. The programs also include engaging in hands-on projects in agriculture, touring Purdue University's campus, participating in a week-long MEAP-ACE summer camp, and taking part in workshops, tours, and a networking event at Eli Lilly and Company.
• Ages: 9–18 years old
• Schedule: Six-week class (SAT Prep); paid, eight-week summer program (Lilly Summer Experience); eight weekly sessions (Precious Miss); six weekly sessions (Project MR.); four-week program (Success Prep); eight-week journey (Jr. Self Discovery); six-week summer reading program (Imani Book Club)
STEM Programs at Center for Leadership Development are part of more than twenty Indianapolis Youth Development programs for middle and high school students and their parents or supportive adults. The organization’s mission is to foster the advancement of minority youth in Central Indiana as future professional, business, and community leaders by providing experiences that encourage personal development and educational attainment. Programs are based on core values of character, education, leadership, service, and career, and CLD provides character-based programming and services. CLD offers internships, scholarships, one-on-one counseling, college readiness workshops, academic assessments, homework help, and study sessions and free tutoring in math, science, foreign languages, social studies, reading, and language arts, including Spanish, French, math, language arts, reading, science, and social studies tutoring.
The College Prep Institute’s counselors are licensed professional guidance counselors and offer free one-on-one licensed guidance counseling. Students can take a six-week class to improve math and verbal/written scores, research post-secondary education choices, arrange campus visits, and prepare strong admissions applications. CLD students can qualify for CLD College and University Partner Scholarships after completing specified programs. The College Prep Institute serves as a free college readiness resource center.
Several STEM-related initiatives have specific histories, including the Rawls Scholars Medicine Initiative established in 2002, the Bowen Engineering/MEP Initiative established in 2015, the STEM Workshop established in 2020, the College Research and Selection program established in 2012, Study Sessions and Free Tutoring established in 2012, Free One-on-One Licensed Guidance Counseling established in 2012, the CLD Scholarship Track established in 2012, Crispus Attucks IU Fellows established in 2022, the Cummins-CLD Senior Leadership Speaker Series established in 2022, the Lilly Summer Experience established in 2018, the Lilly Summit established in 2006, the Purdue Agriculture Initiative established in 2021, the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI MEAP-ACE established in 2021, and the Rose STEM Program established in 2022. CLD partners with IUPUI for SAT Prep beginning in 1980, and the CLD College Prep Institute launched on September 12, 2012.
Through community partnerships, CLD offers STEM opportunities to central Indiana minority youth with organizations such as Bowen Engineering, Purdue University IDEAS Learning Community, Eskenazi Health Services, IPS and IU Health, Cummins Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Purdue University's College of Agriculture, Cargill, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Starfish Initiative, GEO Academies Believe, and the Minority Engineering Program of Indianapolis (MEPI). Students can meet, interact, and network with Cummins executive leaders and explore paid internship opportunities. Lilly’s internship program provides STEM students with opportunities in a pharmaceutical company’s Drug Discovery or Development area, and the paid, eight-week Lilly Summer Experience gives real-world experience and insight into the pharmaceutical industry. The MEAP-ACE summer camp exposes students to college-level education and experiences, and the Rose STEM Program encourages college enrollment for historically underrepresented students demonstrating a strong aptitude toward science and math to pursue STEM degrees.
CLD also offers programs where girls strengthen self-esteem, identify positive friendships and relationships, develop a positive body image, embrace educational values, and create life-long achievement goals, and where young men learn the significance of being a responsible male, learn how to defuse challenging pressures, set high academic and career goals, work collaboratively with others, and communicate effectively. Additional programs include a high school readiness program that culminates in a college tour, opportunities for youth and their parents to meet with professionals from career fields that match the student’s individual career aspirations, and classes where elementary age youth learn effective communication skills, successful study habits, and leadership behaviors. Students improve reading and comprehension skills, learn about the many reasons to appreciate the written word, and participate in a six-week summer reading program through the Imani Book Club.
The Center for Leadership Development’s history includes articles of incorporation executed and certified in January 1977, the first CLD classes held in September 1977, and the first graduation in March 1978. CLD has marked its tenth anniversary in 1987, twentieth in 1997, thirtieth in 2007, and fortieth on January 3, 2017. The Role Model/Advisor Experience was established in 1978, SAT Prep in 1980, Success Prep in 2003, Imani Book Club in 2004, Precious Miss in 2007, and the Junior Self-Discovery/Career Exploration class in 2008. Leadership over time has included Henry Bundles as the first president of CLD; Schulyer F. Otteson as chairman of the CLD board; Jerry D. Semler, Robert L. Bowen, and Thomas A. King as chairmen of the CLD board of directors; Stephen A. Stitle as a member of the CLD board of directors; and Dennis Bland as president of CLD.
CLD has received a $1.4 million grant from the Lilly Endowment for a new state-of-the-art building on Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Street. According to parent testimonials, one parent reported that her daughter attended the Precious Miss program and enjoyed it, noting that CLD offers free tutoring and counseling sessions, and another parent stated that her boys attended several classes and that they plan to attend more in the future.
Last updated May 12, 2026.
• Ages: 9–18 years old
• Schedule: Six-week class (SAT Prep); paid, eight-week summer program (Lilly Summer Experience); eight weekly sessions (Precious Miss); six weekly sessions (Project MR.); four-week program (Success Prep); eight-week journey (Jr. Self Discovery); six-week summer reading program (Imani Book Club)
STEM Programs at Center for Leadership Development are part of more than twenty Indianapolis Youth Development programs for middle and high school students and their parents or supportive adults. The organization’s mission is to foster the advancement of minority youth in Central Indiana as future professional, business, and community leaders by providing experiences that encourage personal development and educational attainment. Programs are based on core values of character, education, leadership, service, and career, and CLD provides character-based programming and services. CLD offers internships, scholarships, one-on-one counseling, college readiness workshops, academic assessments, homework help, and study sessions and free tutoring in math, science, foreign languages, social studies, reading, and language arts, including Spanish, French, math, language arts, reading, science, and social studies tutoring.
The College Prep Institute’s counselors are licensed professional guidance counselors and offer free one-on-one licensed guidance counseling. Students can take a six-week class to improve math and verbal/written scores, research post-secondary education choices, arrange campus visits, and prepare strong admissions applications. CLD students can qualify for CLD College and University Partner Scholarships after completing specified programs. The College Prep Institute serves as a free college readiness resource center.
Several STEM-related initiatives have specific histories, including the Rawls Scholars Medicine Initiative established in 2002, the Bowen Engineering/MEP Initiative established in 2015, the STEM Workshop established in 2020, the College Research and Selection program established in 2012, Study Sessions and Free Tutoring established in 2012, Free One-on-One Licensed Guidance Counseling established in 2012, the CLD Scholarship Track established in 2012, Crispus Attucks IU Fellows established in 2022, the Cummins-CLD Senior Leadership Speaker Series established in 2022, the Lilly Summer Experience established in 2018, the Lilly Summit established in 2006, the Purdue Agriculture Initiative established in 2021, the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI MEAP-ACE established in 2021, and the Rose STEM Program established in 2022. CLD partners with IUPUI for SAT Prep beginning in 1980, and the CLD College Prep Institute launched on September 12, 2012.
Through community partnerships, CLD offers STEM opportunities to central Indiana minority youth with organizations such as Bowen Engineering, Purdue University IDEAS Learning Community, Eskenazi Health Services, IPS and IU Health, Cummins Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Purdue University's College of Agriculture, Cargill, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Starfish Initiative, GEO Academies Believe, and the Minority Engineering Program of Indianapolis (MEPI). Students can meet, interact, and network with Cummins executive leaders and explore paid internship opportunities. Lilly’s internship program provides STEM students with opportunities in a pharmaceutical company’s Drug Discovery or Development area, and the paid, eight-week Lilly Summer Experience gives real-world experience and insight into the pharmaceutical industry. The MEAP-ACE summer camp exposes students to college-level education and experiences, and the Rose STEM Program encourages college enrollment for historically underrepresented students demonstrating a strong aptitude toward science and math to pursue STEM degrees.
CLD also offers programs where girls strengthen self-esteem, identify positive friendships and relationships, develop a positive body image, embrace educational values, and create life-long achievement goals, and where young men learn the significance of being a responsible male, learn how to defuse challenging pressures, set high academic and career goals, work collaboratively with others, and communicate effectively. Additional programs include a high school readiness program that culminates in a college tour, opportunities for youth and their parents to meet with professionals from career fields that match the student’s individual career aspirations, and classes where elementary age youth learn effective communication skills, successful study habits, and leadership behaviors. Students improve reading and comprehension skills, learn about the many reasons to appreciate the written word, and participate in a six-week summer reading program through the Imani Book Club.
The Center for Leadership Development’s history includes articles of incorporation executed and certified in January 1977, the first CLD classes held in September 1977, and the first graduation in March 1978. CLD has marked its tenth anniversary in 1987, twentieth in 1997, thirtieth in 2007, and fortieth on January 3, 2017. The Role Model/Advisor Experience was established in 1978, SAT Prep in 1980, Success Prep in 2003, Imani Book Club in 2004, Precious Miss in 2007, and the Junior Self-Discovery/Career Exploration class in 2008. Leadership over time has included Henry Bundles as the first president of CLD; Schulyer F. Otteson as chairman of the CLD board; Jerry D. Semler, Robert L. Bowen, and Thomas A. King as chairmen of the CLD board of directors; Stephen A. Stitle as a member of the CLD board of directors; and Dennis Bland as president of CLD.
CLD has received a $1.4 million grant from the Lilly Endowment for a new state-of-the-art building on Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Street. According to parent testimonials, one parent reported that her daughter attended the Precious Miss program and enjoyed it, noting that CLD offers free tutoring and counseling sessions, and another parent stated that her boys attended several classes and that they plan to attend more in the future.
Last updated May 12, 2026.
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