Rices Boost Center For Leadership Development

The Center for Leadership Development was founded in 1977.

The recently-retired chief financial officer of Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY) and his wife have donated $1 million to a minority-serving nonprofit in central Indiana. The gift to the Center for Leadership Development from Derica and Robin Rice will help the organization boost programming and expand its reach. Over the last 30 years, CLD has served more than 20,000 youth and their families.

The organization works to develop the next generation of business and community leaders throughout the region’s African American population by encouraging personal development and educational attainment. Derica Rice is a member of the organization’s board of directors. He says "CLD is effectively breaking the cycles of poverty by providing a road map, tools, values and skills for young African Americans, allowing them to overcome the odds of each of their unique situations. We have always enjoyed being a part of this transformative program and are excited to see CLD continue to grow and shape the lives of future leaders." He adds CLD has been successful in ways "almost no one else in the nation" has been.

The organization says figures from the Indiana Department of Education show the average high school graduation rate of African American students in the state is just under 77 percent, while 95 percent of CLD participants graduate. Additionally, 70 percent of CLD participants have enrolled in postsecondary education and 40 percent are college graduates.

CLD’s Five Principles for Success include: character development, educational excellence, leadership effectiveness, community service and career achievement.

You can connect to more about the organization by clicking here.