Salem students may apply to participate in The LeaderShape Institute, the prestigious national student leadership program with sessions held each summer in Boston, Atlanta, and Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Two Salem students are selected each year to participate in an all-expenses paid weeklong residential leadership development program, along with student leaders from colleges and universities around the United States. The philosophy of The LeaderShape Institute is to develop students' capacities to serve as leaders and responsible citizens of the world, which contrasts with traditional leadership training programs focused on preparing students for positional leadership roles. The LeaderShape Institute celebrated the 25th anniversary of its founding in 2011.