Thursday, May 13, 2021
Annual awards distributed by Rider’s Center for the Development of Leadership Skills
by Adam Grybowski
The recipients of the 2021 Leadership Legacy Awards offered by Rider’s Center for the Development of Leadership Skills are Erin Klebaur '04 and Samantha Wheeler. The awards are distributed to one graduating senior and one alumnus or alumna each year.
Klebaur is the president of Imbue Creative, a marketing agency based in Lambertville, N.J., where she strives to create a culture of care, foster a healthy work/life balance and grow the company to best serve her clients. She also is dedicated to mentoring others. Over the past 15 years, she has worked directly with approximately 20 interns from Rider.
Klebaur sits on numerous boards and has volunteered in the community since her youth. She has worked with the United Way of Greater Mercer County, Womenspace and Jewish Family Services, among other organizations. At Rider, Klebaur majored in communication.
“Erin’s legacy lies in creating a culture of care with a focus on producing a positive change in the lives of individuals and communities,” says Laura Seplaki, the associate director of the Center for the Development of Leadership Skills.
Samantha Wheeler, a secondary education and mathematics double major, was actively involved as a student and had an impact that especially benefited first-year students. She was a freshman seminar peer mentor, General Liberal Arts and Sciences Student mentor and Student Navigation Office peer coach. Her two-year period as orientation leader coincided with all orientation activities moving to virtual format because of the pandemic. She helped design and plan the emerging strategies of engaging with students without any on-campus interaction.
“Samantha’s legacy lies in the many connections she made with new students to welcome them, acclimate them to college life, support them throughout their first year and encourage them to get out of their comfort zones to contribute in their own ways to the Rider community,” says Seplaki.
Launched in 2004, the Center for the Development of Leadership Skills provides effective leadership training and quality programming to develop the leadership capacities of the Rider community. The Center complements and expands upon Rider’s tradition of producing tomorrow’s innovative leaders and confident professionals.
Both Leadership Legacy Awards recognize those who have demonstrated excellence in leadership through service to others. More information can be found on Rider’s website.