What do a coach, business owner, general manager, and a vice president all have in common? They’re leaders meeting with 12 outstanding high school students signed up for a course about leadership at the University of Iowa next week.

The course, the Advanced Leadership Seminar, is part of the University of Iowa College of Education’s Belin-Blank Center’s National Scholars Institute, which draws some of Iowa's and the Midwest’s top young minds to campus. Other course topics this summer include math, science, social sciences, technology, innovation, visual and performing arts, and writing.

The National Scholars Institute is one of eight summer programs the Belin-Blank Center is offering to an estimated 700 students in grades 2-11 this year. The Belin-Blank Center has been hosting summer programs for gifted students for more than 25 years.

Students in the leadership course are on campus Sunday, July 13, through Friday, July 18.

Highlights will include a trip to MC Ginsberg in downtown Iowa City to meet with owner Marc Ginsberg at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 14; a visit from Cedar Rapids Kernels General Manager Doug Nelson at 1:30 p.m. Monday, July 14; a trip to the UI football complex to meet head coach Kirk Ferentz Tuesday, July 15, at 9 a.m.; a visit from Erik Albinson, vice president of student affairs at Coe College, at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 15; a visit from UI alumna and women’s sports icon Christine Grant, who was instrumental in the creation of Title IX, at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 16; and a visit from Tim Stiles, vice president and COO at United Way of East Central Iowa at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 16.

The course meets primarily in Room 540 in the Blank Honors Center.

An Excel sheet that lists each participating student by name and their hometown is available here.