Week 84: Transitioning in new student leaders

Week 84: January 17, 2026

How can you ensure a smooth leadership transition?

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Have the rock star first-year students started to emerge yet? In the weeks and months to come, your role as a student leader will begin to change and one of your most important roles will be tagging first-years to step up!

This week, we're talking a little about how much value you can add through the transition process as you identify who will be the next group of leaders.

The 100 Week Sprint team

To-do's this week

Got 5 minutes? Write down some notes about the roles you envision each of your successors taking on going forward.

Got 30 minutes? Make sure you've written notes about the on-campus resources the group's new leaders will have access to, along with details about what each should be approached for.

Got an hour? Create or update a set of succession materials, including all of the details about programming from this year (and before) and thoughts for next year (and beyond).

Who will you choose?

The organizations you've devoted yourself to can continue to grow and thrive if you and your team choose great successors.

1. Consider diversity: a former teacher is going to bring different skills and opinions than a former banker; an Indian national will provide a different perspective from a native of Atlanta. Putting together a diverse leadership team will both ensure your constituents are well-represented, and provide a great variety of experiences and viewpoints.

Read on for some tips on how to find folks who will not only continue the great work you've started, but help the group grow and evolve even more.

How can you prepare them?

Given the short time that students are on campus there is barely time to create the institutional memory that is often vital in keeping an organization strong! That said, we have talked with student leaders about what people did that positioned the team that followed to have a great experience.

1. Write it all down: hopefully, your predecessors provided you with transition materials that included all the details you needed to run an effective organization. If they did, make sure you update it to include any best practices you've identified, or to eliminate any details that are no longer relevant. If they didn't, take the time to create a set - this will not only make the new leaders' lives easier, it will do the same for you, as it will limit the number of questions you have to answer going forward.

Read on for more of their thoughts!

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