U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins ’94 and Distinguished Guests Celebrate Launch of Flippen Leadership Institute

Flippen Leadership Institute’s Stephen Courtright and Alexis Broussard, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Flip and Susan Flippen, Brigadier General (Ret.) Kim Field, and Mays Dean Nate Y. Sharp

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School officially commemorated the launch of the Flippen Leadership Institute on Nov. 14, 2025 with an event featuring distinguished guests and speakers, including U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins ’94 and the institute’s namesakes and founders of the Flippen Group Flip and Susan Flippen. This institute aims to enhance leadership development through innovative programs as part of Texas A&M and Mays’ commitments to cultivating leaders of character across various sectors.

Dr. Stephen Courtright, inaugural director and globally recognized leadership scholar, kicked off the program, saying, “We are launching a movement. A new vision for what leadership can and should be, changing the way that the world of business and beyond thinks about leadership itself, rooted in our mission at Texas A&M to develop leaders of character.”

The Flippen Leadership Institute will offer a range of programs designed to equip individuals with the skills necessary to lead effectively. These programs will focus on experiential learning, mentorship, and research-driven strategies that address contemporary leadership challenges, ensuring that participants receive cutting-edge training.

In addition to Rollins, Courtright, and the Flippens, Texas A&M’s Director of Strategic Initiatives Brigadier General (Ret). Kim Field and Mays Business School Dean Dr. Nate Y. Sharp also addressed the attendees at the launch event. The speakers shared their insights on leadership and the critical skills required to navigate it successfully. “Leaders are not known by how well they do themselves, they’re known by how well the people they served are doing,” said Flip Flippen, who along with his wife, Susan, has earned a global reputation for their philanthropy and work building relationships and processes that bring out the best in people.

Attendees included faculty, students, and community leaders, all eager to learn more about the institute. The atmosphere was charged with excitement as participants engaged in networking opportunities, fostering connections that will support the institute’s mission.

Brooke Rollins ’94, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, stated, “I look back at the incredible history of Texas A&M University and what is represented in this room — the support, the love, the passion, the vision, and the fight for everything that is good and right — it all goes back to strong leadership that is built on courage, commitment, passion, and dedication.”

The Flippen Leadership Institute is positioned to become a cornerstone of Texas A&M’s commitment to leadership excellence. By integrating academic rigor with practical application, the institute aims to produce leaders who are not only effective in their roles but also committed to making a positive impact in their communities.

“The Flippen Leadership Institute will elevate forging leaders of integrity and purpose to the top of our priorities at Mays Business School,” said Sharp. “It will help us put into action what we believe in our hearts about real leadership. Our students will be grounded in wisdom and purpose, strengthened by resilience, and rooted in timeless values — that is the heart of what we want for our students and that is the calling of this institute.”

The event concluded with yell leaders Luke Rollins ’27 and Kyler Fife ’26 bringing everyone together for the classic tradition of the Aggie War Hymn.

For more information about the Flippen Leadership Institute, visit their website.