Two McDonough School of Business professors will work alongside four presidential centers to make the Presidential Leadership Program a reality.

Paul Almeida, professor of strategy and international business, and Michael O’Leary, professor of management, will collaborate with the George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Clinton Foundation, the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation and the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation.

The PLP, which was announced in September, is a non-degree bearing, leadership-development program that arose from the George W. Bush Presidential Center and the Clinton Foundation. The goal of the program is to enhance the leadership abilities of community leaders who already have 10 to 15 years of work experience in their specific fields and are positioned to make a real impact on their communities and the greater world.

According to the program’s website, the skills participants develop over the course of the program will be applied to an issue that is relevant to each participant’s field.

“I agreed to do the program for two main reasons,” Almeida said, “Firstly to show that in this day and age, bipartisanship can work to get things done.”

Although Almeida identifies as independent, he believes that the program will provide a space for people from any political party to effect positive change.

“I see good in both sides, and this program really captures that,” Almeida said. “We are working with two very different presidents, and [the fact that] they can come together in working for the common good shows that the ideals for our country are not far apart.”

Almeida was also drawn to the program for its focus on societal improvement.

“Every single scholar that gets admitted has to come in with an idea for doing social good,” he said. “Through the program, we are going to build those skills into a plan to do social good. What better opportunity is there than to work with two presidents who are remarkable in so many ways and who can transfer their experiences in leadership to the next generation … to improve the world?”

Through his involvement, O’Leary hopes to attract similarly minded participants.

“The main goal is to attract the best possible group of young scholars,” O’Leary said. “We are looking for the best possible group of people that are interested in social change and enhancing leadership possibilities.”

Although the deadline for applications — which will be judged on a basis of diversity of experiences and recommendations — is not until Oct. 27, applications have already been received. Many were submitted by people who have already been involved with nonprofit organizations.

“The common denominator [among the applicants] is that they are already involved in leadership efforts,” O’Leary said. “They are already doing impressive things, and we want to create a program for them that will increase their ability to lead their own organizations successfully.”

Anywhere from 40 to 60 applicants will be accepted and provided with financial support. These scholars will devote 15 days to work over a period of 6 months, from February to July.

The approximately 100 sessions will be held at the four presidential libraries and Mount Vernon, the latter of which will host the launch. Former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton (SFS ’68) will participate in teaching sessions. Bush and Clinton’s rigorous involvement in the program will provide participants with an extremely unique view of what it means to be a leader of the world.

“Presidents face incredible challenges, and we see only a superficial slice of those challenges,” Almeida said. “If we can translate these leadership qualities to the participants in the program, that’s something we can all be proud of.”

O’Leary and Almeida have both collaborated with the centers to develop a curriculum, and they will teach classes while running the academics of the program. Although the program is not specifically aimed at Georgetown students and alumni, O’Leary hopes that Georgetown graduates will apply.

“When we look back five years from now and see five or 10 or 15 new projects per year which were launched and which will make a difference to society that wouldn’t have been launched if we didn’t do this, then we know that the legacy lives,” Almeida said. “And that it lives through real people taking real actions inspired by the good of these presidents.”