Interdisciplinary Systems Leadership: A Case Study of the Global Food Systems Leadership Secondary Major Program

The complexities of our contemporary world demand innovative approaches to leadership education that equip individuals to navigate and effectively influence complex adaptive systems. This descriptive case study explores the Global Food Systems Leadership (GFSL) secondary major at Kansas State University; a program designed to develop systems-focused leadership capacities through an interdisciplinary framework. Although much of the existing leadership education literature emphasizes individual skill building or disciplinary silos, GFSL addresses a critical gap by centering collective, systems-thinking oriented leadership education within the context of global food challenges. Drawing on collective expertise across multiple disciplines, GFSL integrates students' diverse academic and personal backgrounds, fostering collaboration, empathy, and systems thinking for systems change. This article examines the philosophical and pedagogical foundations of the program, its focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, and its impact on preparing students to address global food systems challenges. We argue that such a program not only cultivates individual leadership capacities but also provides a replicable model of collective and systems-based leadership education. Consequently, it contributes to expanding the scholarship on leadership pedagogy and offers actionable insights for educators aiming to become agents of change within their institutions and communities.