The University of Alabama
03/12/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/12/2026 08:11
UA Hosts Leadership Development Seminar for High School Sophomores
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The University of Alabama hosted nearly 150 high school sophomores from around the state March 8-9 for a two-day program designed to cultivate leadership skills with an emphasis on values, vision and voice.
Capstone Leadership Academy is a free empowerment program that provides high school sophomores opportunities to learn and apply leadership skills while meeting like-minded students from across the state. Established by the Capstone Council, CLA is sponsored by the UA Office of the President.
The 2026 class of the Capstone Leadership Academy.
Capstone Leadership Academy participants had an exclusive tour Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium
Jeff Allen, senior associate athletics director of sports medicine, spoke to the group on his 10 Commandments of Success.
CLA participants discuss the value of leadership skills.
Big Al joined the fun and games.
Capstone Leadership Academy participants hear from their peers during the closing ceremony.
Program activities included a campus tour, community outreach project and interactive sessions allowing participants to collaborate with their peers. Guest speakers included UA President Peter J. Mohler and Jeff Allen, senior associate athletics director of sports medicine.
The Capstone Council is a volunteer group of former campus leaders inspired by Jean O'Connor-Snyder, longtime sponsor of the Capstone Men and Women. CLA was created to honor O'Connor-Snyder's legacy of inspiring generations of UA student leaders. Council members remain deeply involved in the program, reviewing applications, securing speakers, planning activities and mentoring participants.
A list of program participants is below.
| Name | City | State | High School |
| Daija Moore | Adamsville | AL | Minor High School |
| Benton Sliwowski | Alabaster | AL | Evangel Classical Christian School |
| Hudson Buck | Albertville | AL | Albertville High School |
| Banks Merrell | Andalusia | AL | Andalusia High School |
| Vivianna Jordan | Arley | AL | Jasper High School |
| Will Spickard | Athens | AL | Athens High School |
| Brentli Richerson | Atmore | AL | J.U. Blacksher High School |
| Ellie MacIsaac | Auburn | AL | Lee Scott Academy |
| Kyiah Steele-Ulmer | Bay Minette | AL | Baldwin County High School |
| Camryn Frost | Berry | AL | Berry High School |
| Elle Wallerstein | Birmingham | AL | Mountain Brook High School |
| Adhithi Shree Kumaron | Birmingham | AL | Alabama School of Fine Arts |
| Evan Merkerson | Birmingham | AL | i3 Academy |
| Carter Bryars | Birmingham | AL | Briarwood Christian School |
| Della Beard | Blountsville | AL | Arab High School |
| Emma Hart Gibson | Butler | AL | Patrician Academy |
| Riley Johnson | Calera | AL | Calera High School |
| Bella Garmon | Centre | AL | Spring Garden High School |
| Noah Hill | Centre | AL | Cedar Bluff High School |
| Brayden Batte | Centreville | AL | Bibb County High School |
| Willow Tucker | Chancellor | AL | Geneva High School |
| Cannon Cornelius | Cherokee | AL | Cherokee High School |
| Charlotte Smith | Chunchula | AL | Saraland High School |
| Mary Henning Dale | Clanton | AL | Chilton County High School |
| Maverick Owen | Coffee Springs | AL | Kinston School |
| Addison Houston | Cottondale | AL | University Church Christian Academy |
| Norah Bissot | Crane Hill | AL | St. Bernard Preparatory School |
| Anne Lunsford | Cullman | AL | Cullman High School |
| Austin Pete Williams | Daphine | AL | Bayside Academy |
| Emmie Beidleman | Decatur | AL | Priceville High School |
| Aiden Cochran | Deer Park | AL | Fruitdale High School |
| Ella Burgess | Dothan | AL | Dothan High School |
| Annalee Wright | Dothan | AL | Dale County High School |
| Gavin Hubbert | Eldridge | AL | Hubbertville School |
| Natalie Monroe | Elkmont | AL | Elkmont High School |
| Anna Brooke Harris | Empire | AL | Cordova High School |
| Aden Barkley | Enterprise | AL | New Brockton High School |
| Porter Chappell | Fairhope | AL | Bayshore Christian School |
| Jackson Strunk | Fairhope | AL | Fairhope High School |
| Reese Otte | Florence | AL | Mars Hill Bible School |
| Caroline Hunt | Florence | AL | Shoals Christian School |
| Cyrus Young | Florence | AL | Waterloo High School |
| Robert Rasberry | Florence | AL | Brooks High School |
| Bailee Egbert | Foley | AL | Foley High School |
| Ana Pineda | Foley | AL | Baldwin Preparatory Academy |
| Lizzy Chesnut | Fort Payne | AL | Fort Payne High School |
| Peyton Williamson | Frisco City | AL | Monroe Academy |
| Kali Brown | Fruithurst | AL | Cleburne County High School |
| Kennedy Sharpe | Fultondale | AL | Fultondale High School |
| Blakley Cox | Gilbertown | AL | South Choctaw Academy |
| Faith Baker | Greenville | AL | Fort Dale Academy |
| Lola Carlisle | Grove Hill | AL | Jackson Academy |
| Audrey Spillers | Guin | AL | Winfield High School |
| Kyle Zeisset | Guntersville | AL | Guntersville High School |
| Natalie Jacobson | Hamilton | AL | Hamilton High School |
| Avery Hines | Hanceville | AL | St. Bernard Preparatory School |
| Cohen Gibson | Hartselle | AL | Hartselle High School |
| Gracie Mitchell | Hillsboro | AL | Lawrence County High School |
| Quincy McGhee | Homewood | AL | Homewood High School |
| Baylor Vickery | Hoover | AL | Pelham High School |
| Elijah Petit | Hoover | AL | Hoover High School |
| Neil Srikantha | Hoover | AL | Hoover High School |
| Cayson Hartfield | Hoover | AL | Hoover High School |
| Sumer Colston | Hueytown | AL | Shades Valley High School |
| Victori Collins | Huntsville | AL | Huntsville High School |
| Sarah Moffett | Huntsville | AL | Whitesburg Christian Academy |
| Lydia Alexander | Huntsville | AL | Grissom High School |
| Mitch Conroy | Jacksonville | AL | The Donoho School |
| Josie Oswalt | Jasper | AL | Curry High School |
| Allison Munoz | Jasper | AL | Curry High School |
| Cannon Evans | Jasper | AL | Carbon Hill High School |
| Abigail Bonds | Lafayette | AL | Chambers Academy |
| Skyler Lowery | Lanett | AL | Springwood School |
| Mary Larkin Coker | Letohatchee | AL | Lowndes Academy |
| Aurora Barysch | Lexington | AL | Lexington School |
| Addison Ritter | Lexington | AL | Lexington School |
| Jesse Mitchell | Livingston | AL | University Charter School |
| Olivia Cooley | Loxley | AL | Robertsdale High School |
| Kaleb Gero | Madison | AL | James Clemens High School |
| Stewart Sleasman | Madison | AL | Madison Academy |
| Aidan Gowan | Madison | AL | Bob Jones High School |
| Jaxon Kimberly | Madison | AL | James Clemens High School |
| Marietta Holmes | Marion | AL | Southern Academy |
| Emi Wilson | Maylene | AL | Thompson High School |
| Megan Evans | Midland City | AL | Houston Academy |
| Eva Sturridge | Midland City | AL | Houston Academy |
| Landon Harrison | Millry | AL | Millry High School |
| Talmadge Hines | Mobile | AL | UMS-Wright Preparatory School |
| Lilly Bufford | Mobile | AL | St. Luke's Episcopal School |
| Virginia Davis | Mobile | AL | Murphy High School |
| Stevens McClure | Mobile | AL | Saint Paul's Episcopal High School |
| William Fillers | Mobile | AL | UMS-Wright Preparatory School |
| Bob Meador | Mobile | AL | Mcgill-Toolen Catholic High School |
| Sydnee Dortch | Mobile | AL | Murphy High School |
| Alden Park | Mobile | AL | Saint Paul's Episcopal High School |
| Austin Venatta | Mobile | AL | Cottage Hill Christian Academy |
| Win Elliott | Mobile | AL | UMS-Wright Preparatory School |
| Evan Parker | Montgomery | AL | The Montgomery Academy |
| Jordan Bellamy | Montgomery | AL | Trinity Presbyterian School |
| Ridgeway Britt | Montgomery | AL | The Montgomery Academy |
| Savannah Haley | Moody | AL | Leeds High School |
| Elise Lamkin | Mountain Brook | AL | Mountain Brook High School |
| Davis Perry | Mountain Brook | AL | Mountain Brook High School |
| Michelle Bermudez | Muscle Shoals | AL | Muscle Shoals High School |
| Madalyn Workman | Northport | AL | Tuscaloosa County High School |
| Caroline Randolph | Northport | AL | Tuscaloosa County High School |
| Cody Gardner | Oakman | AL | Oakman High School |
| Kensley Abernathy | Ohatchee | AL | Ohatchee High School |
| Kaytlynn Fry | Oneonta | AL | Oneonta High School |
| Miguel Munoz | Opelika | AL | Opelika High School |
| Ava Thomas | Opelika | AL | Opelika High School |
| Maddison Enix | Owens Cross Roads | AL | Huntsville High School |
| Kris Farley | Pelham | AL | Briarwood Christian School |
| Sophie Fowler | Phenix City | AL | Smiths Station High School |
| Rylan Lawson | Pisgah | AL | Pisgah High School |
| Mary Camden Amos | Prattville | AL | Prattville High School |
| Isabella Arnett | Prattville | AL | The Montgomery Academy |
| Marr Felix | Russellville | AL | Russellville High School |
| Cassidy Peal | Sardis | AL | John T. Morgan Academy |
| Hannah Leek | Scottsboro | AL | Scottsboro High School |
| Leighton Grace | Selma | AL | John T. Morgan Academy |
| Jennie Lynne Ridenhour | Slocomb | AL | Slocomb High School |
| Henley Green | Southside | AL | Southside High School |
| Cayden Dorger | Spanish Fort | AL | Spanish Fort High School |
| Kayla Kraft | Spanish Fort | AL | Spanish Fort High School |
| Audrey O'Connor | SpanishFort | AL | Fairhope High School |
| Kayla Peattie | Sulligent | AL | Sulligent High School |
| Kathryn Bailey | Sylacauga | AL | Sylacauga High School |
| Isabella Unger | Sylacauga | AL | Coosa Valley Academy |
| Christian McBryde | Troy | AL | New Life Christian Academy |
| Nolan Ross | Troy | AL | Pike Liberal Arts School |
| Karmen Wilson | Troy | AL | Charles Henderson High School |
| Emma Claire Womack | Trussville | AL | Hewitt-Trussville High School |
| Kelly Eubanks | Tuscaloosa | AL | Central High School |
| Anna Grace Reed | Tuscaloosa | AL | Northridge High School |
| Lilou Drewelow | Tuscaloosa | AL | Holy Spirit Catholic High School |
| Jennifer Gray | Tuscaloosa | AL | American Christian Academy |
| Sara Turner Wilson | Tuscaloosa | AL | Northridge High School |
| Julianna Arendale | Tuscaloosa | AL | Northridge High School |
| Micah Bernard | Tuscumbia | AL | Deshler High School |
| Thoryn Hoag | Vance | AL | Brookwood High School |
| Sanders Johnson | Vestavia Hills | AL | Vestavia Hills High School |
| Declan Sitzman | Vestavia Hills | AL | Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School |
| Hannah Duke | Vincent | AL | Coosa Valley Academy |
| Emma Eastman | Vinemont | AL | Decatur Heritage Christian Academy |
The University of Alabama, part of The University of Alabama System, is the state's flagship university. UA shapes a better world through its teaching, research and service. With a global reputation for excellence, UA provides a forward-thinking environment and over 200 degree programs on a beautiful, student-centered campus. A leader in cutting-edge research, UA advances discovery, creative inquiry and knowledge through more than 30 research centers. As the state's largest higher education institution, UA drives economic growth in Alabama and beyond.
Contact
Bryant Welbourne, UA Strategic Communications, [email protected]
The University of Alabama published this content on March 12, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 12, 2026 at 14:11 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]