Five people stand behind a table with snacks, drinks, and promotional items at a well-lit indoor event; one woman in a floral jacket smiles at the camera while others interact with attendees.
Logo with a red hexagon containing a cross, next to the bold black letters "CSB." Below, "Fleischhacker Center" is written in bold red text. The background is light gray.
Black-and-white photo of a man and woman smiling, mounted on a wall plaque reading "Mark & Teresa Fleischhacker Center for Ethical Leadership in Action" with a brief dedication text below.
Photo by Madeline LeMonds ’22

In 2016, the College of Saint Benedict received a historic $10 million gift to establish the Mark and Teresa Fleischhacker Center for Ethical Leadership in Action. The Center helps students apply classroom learning in leadership and ethics to real-world experiences in the workplace and community.

Funded by a permanent endowment, the Center is the hub for Community Engaged Learning at CSB+SJU. Grounded in Benedictine values and our Serve Graciously learning goal, it equips students with skills in principled leadership, community engagement and purposeful living.

The Center supports programs such as the Summer Leadership Fellows, Bonner Leader Program, Community Engaged Learning (including Project-Based Learning, the Initiative for Native Nation Relations and the Honors Program), as well as a speaker series, mentoring and faculty/staff development.

Through internships, research and service, the Center prepares students to become ethical leaders across fields—from business and medicine to education and beyond.

Fellows spotlights

A young woman with long brown hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a pink blouse and a red blazer. The background is softly blurred, featuring a large window with greenery outside.

“The Center for Ethical Leadership in Action has prepared me, trained me and inspired me to see and believe that there are always opportunities to help our communities in the ways that we would like to do so.”

Lesly Gonzalez ’20

St. Paul, Minnesota

A young person with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing glasses and a sleeveless floral blouse, smiles warmly at the camera. They are also wearing a statement necklace. The background is softly blurred, suggesting a natural, well-lit setting.

“The Center for Ethical Leadership in Action has not only given me the financial support to expand my work experience, but it’s also given me the chance to explore the importance of ethical leadership and the positive impact that has on society.”

Lucy Dornbach ’19
Seoul, South Korea