On Friday, February 13, Tulane Green Wave Football Head Coach Jon Sumrall spoke to Economics and SLAM Professor of Practice Marcus Coleman’s Principles of Leadership SLAM 3010 course. Throughout the course, students assess their own leadership capabilities through the study and understanding of leadership theory, and the different styles and characteristics of proven leaders like Sumrall. Sumrall spoke about his experiences as a coach and the values he believes define a good leader. He shared his personal leadership philosophy, emphasizing the importance of leading by example, fostering accountability, and developing a strong work ethic. “A leader doesn’t look to be served; a leader looks at how they can serve,” he told the class.

Prior to taking the head coach position at Tulane, Sumrall was the head coach at Troy University. During his time there, he boasted a 23-4 record and led the Trojans to two Sun Belt Conference championships. In his first season with the Green Wave, Sumrall guided the football team to a 9-5 record and their third consecutive conference championship game appearance.

Sumrall outlined the four core values that define his football program — attitude, toughness, discipline, and love — and explained how integral these values are to shape both his players, and current and emerging leaders. He continually stressed that leadership starts with self-discipline and high character. “Thoughts lead to actions, actions lead to habits, habits lead to character, and character is everything,” he shared. He also highlighted the importance of mental toughness, noting that “Success isn’t just about physical endurance but about perseverance and having a growth mindset — embracing challenges, learning from feedback, and celebrating others’ success rather than feeling threatened into a scarcity mindset about it.” On the value of discipline, he emphasized, “Discipline is not something that somebody does to you; it’s something you do for yourself. It’s an investment for the future.” Finally, he defined love as genuine care for teammates, emphasizing the importance of building strong, meaningful connections. “Love always demands sacrifice,” he explained, reinforcing that true leadership involves putting others before oneself.

A leader doesn’t look to be served; a leader looks at how they can serve.

– Coach Jon Sumrall

Sumrall’s genuine and hard-learned insights reinforced key learning objectives of the SLAM Program. His leadership philosophy, with its emphasis on mental toughness and discipline, tied into the core of leadership concepts and practices. Furthermore, his reflections on leadership within the evolving landscape of college football, and how he adapts along with it in the culture he creates for his players, provided insight into critical perspectives on business, industries, and society in a manner catered towards the SLAM pathway of helping students connect leadership to larger markets. A student in attendance remarked, “Hearing Coach Sumrall talk about leadership in a high-pressure setting like college football really reinforced what we’ve learned in class for values based active and balanced leadership.” His visit demonstrated how the SLAM Program truly equips students with real-world leadership skills, reinforcing that leadership isn’t about authority — it’s about positive influence, service, evolution, and the ability to inspire and elevate those around you.

Sumrall speaks with students after his guest lecture for Professor of Practice Marcus Coleman’s Principles of Leadership class.

As arts students, one of the most meaningful experiences of learning and growth occurs when given the chance to hear from and work with experienced artists and learn from their wisdom. On Tuesday, February 11, and Thursday, February 13, students from the Newcomb Department of Music and the Department of Theatre & Dance got this opportunity in the form of a master class with Tony Award winner John Cameron Mitchell. Laura London Wagner, assistant professor in the Newcomb Department of Music, hosted the event.

John Cameron Mitchell is most famous for his work as the writer, director, and star of the rock musical-turned-movie Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which radically tackles queerness and identity. Throughout the sessions, Mitchell answered students’ questions about his work, beliefs, and passions, and were then given the chance to workshop performances with him personally. Throughout this process, students were inspired by his intense passion for the arts, identity, and New Orleans.

During the first day’s Q+A session, Mitchell answered questions that students prepared, all while sharing stories of his experiences as a performer, director, and artist. He encouraged students to explore all the realms of creativity they could, advising them to never turn down an opportunity due to “fear of the unknown,” which he described as the things that often end up leading to the most growth in one’s life. It was inspiring to see Mitchell’s way of pushing boundaries and not letting negative reactions stop him from creating. He is extremely passionate about the importance of encouraging creative growth rather than criticizing or limiting ideas, a philosophy he takes into every project he does.

I thought that he really found physical ways to make actors open up to what they were singing about.

– Eliza Mullins (SLA ’26), student participant

The second day of the master class was more intimate, and five students performed for Mitchell and received feedback. This process was educational for both those watching and those performing. “I thought that he really found physical ways to make actors open up to what they were singing about,” described one student, as she recounted watching the performances, “as well as just opening up their voice more.” In many of the scenes, Mitchell would give actors physical props to use, allowing students to get out of their heads and create more vivid story imagery for themselves and their audience.

As both a performer and a writer, so many of Mitchell’s stories and workshop moments resonated with me. His encouragement to write down story ideas as they come to you — advice he shared as he explained his own creative process — has already started to shape my own process as a storyteller. His emphasis on visualizing the story one is telling in their head as they are performing has helped me as I perform my own songs and scenes. Overall, this experience was extremely beneficial for me and the other students and faculty who were able to attend, and, if anything, it has solidified the need for artists to learn from other artists as they continue to grow in their craft.
 

John Cameron Mitchell poses for a group photo with students from his master class, hosted by Musical Theatre Professor Laura London Wagner (far right).