There is an expression, “May you live in interesting times.” Optimists see it as a challenge, no doubt an opportunity to do better; pessimists, on the other hand, consider it a curse. If interesting times means, at the very least, uncertainty, then the best response calls for a steady approach. It’s one that seems an increasing rarity nowadays, and it has educators asking themselves how best to prepare their students to become ethical leaders of tomorrow.
It is this question that prompted Pingry to take a bold step forward by partnering with the Oxford Character Institute, an initiative of the University of Oxford, so that faculty, staff, and students can share in a collaborative effort to further embed character and leadership development into the heart of Pingry’s educational mission. Over the course of two days this August, Dr. Corey Crossan of the Oxford Character Institute visited Pingry’s Pottersville Campus. Her visit marked the beginning of a joint journey aimed at nurturing not just leaders of tomorrow, but good leaders, defined not simply by their abilities, but by their strength of character.
At the center of the two days of sessions was the Leader Character Framework, a model developed by Dr. Crossan and her colleagues that defines character as a constellation of 11 interrelated virtues, all of which are necessary for ethical and effective leadership. These dimensions include courage, transcendence, drive, collaboration, humanity, humility, integrity, temperance, justice, accountability, and, at the center, judgment. The framework emphasizes that these traits are interconnected and equally important. Crucially, the model teaches that any strength can become a vice if left unchecked. For example, high drive without sufficient temperance or humanity can lead to burnout or ethical missteps. Yet rather than focusing on reducing a dominant trait, the goal is to strengthen complementary virtues to create a more balanced and resilient character.
The emphasis on intentional development struck a chord with Pingry’s community. Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Success Ahmad Boyd was excited to participate in the program. “I’m hoping to not only grow myself as a leader,” he said, “but also to learn more about the different ways to approach leadership development and character development.”
The first day of Dr. Crossan’s visit was dedicated to meetings with Pingry’s faculty and staff. The group explored seven research-based strategies for character development and dove into the Leader Character Framework. These discussions provided the groundwork for identifying how character development could be integrated more deliberately into teaching practices, relationships, and institutional structures. Later that day, student peer leaders joined the conversation during a dedicated lunch and orientation session. Together with faculty, they reflected on the question of how character is developed, with a growing consensus that character is not inherent, but rather cultivated over time through repeated practice, paired with the presence of positive role models, and earnest reflection on experience. Just as important, it is shaped by community, by the people and patterns around us, and often flourishes most in the midst of adversity.
On the second day, the group moved toward applied strategies by discussing how to give meaningful reflections and feedback on strengths as well as areas for growth. The discussions explored cultural patterns unique to Pingry: a high sense of drive paired with lower levels of temperance and vulnerability, traits that mirror those found in other high performing environments. This honest self assessment, grounded in both data and shared experience, became the foundation for aspirational growth.
Community Well-Being Director Dr. Julie O’Rourke was instrumental in bringing the program to Pingry. “It all began because [Head of School] Tim [Lear] saw in The Wall Street Journal 2025 Rankings of Colleges and Universities that, for the first time ever, [they] started rating colleges and universities with regard to how they support character development in students.” The revelation sparked an idea. “As Tim does well, he gets passionate and excited about a topic. So we talked a little bit, he did some digging, and made a phone call,” she recalls. “I had been interested in finding an anchor, a framework, a commonality here to hold and pull together a lot of the good stuff that happens at Pingry with regard to, in its broader sense, character and leadership.” With the Oxford Character Institute, they knew the potential for strengthening relationships and character would be enormously beneficial for the community.
As the first high school to partner with the institute, Pingry is breaking new ground to that oft-answered question of What is character? It’s one Dr. O’Rourke thinks about frequently. “It’s the secret sauce,” she says. “It’s never achieved, and then you’ve got it and that’s it. It is a constant, evolving, and sometimes roiling process.” She firmly believes the Honor Code is integral while still leaving room for more. “This is where the Honor Code captures it. If you are going to reach a peak of character perfection, it’s the Honor Code. That’s what we are striving for, always,” she affirms. “At times, we can touch it…. It’s a guiding light. But it doesn’t tell you how to do it.”
Throughout the two-day experience, one truth became increasingly evident: leadership without character is incomplete. In a world that often rewards performance over principle, Pingry is striving to reframe the conversation. It is not enough to produce thinkers and leaders; the goal is to produce wise thinkers and good leaders. And ultimately, Dr. Crossan’s message that character is shaped over time, through community and intention, aligns with Pingry’s firm belief that We graduate good people. The goal is as lofty as it is aspirational, but educators and students are determined to lead with integrity, to stand resilient in the face of adversity, and to elevate their character alongside their competence. The long-term impact of this initiative—a collective, common understanding of character and development and its dimensions—is no small feat. “This isn’t an add on,” Dr. O’Rourke emphasizes. “This isn’t like, ‘Oh, here’s another program that we have to do.’ This is meant to be something that brings everyone together.”
Pingry’s partnership with the Oxford Character Institute is more than a workshop or a one-off event—it is a long-term vision that includes regular assessments, ongoing reflection, and deeper integration of the Leader Character Framework into Pingry’s culture and curriculum. With a commitment to character education, the faculty, staff, and students will be modeling what it looks like to develop leadership in both heart and mind.
The sessions were filled with opportunity—as interesting times are—and carried echoes from the Strategic Plan, with reminders that “the quality of our life is shaped by the quality of our relationships.” With a firm belief in strengthened relationships and a community driven by purpose, Pingry is laying the foundation for something truly transformative.
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To contact the author: Sara Courtney
Photos by: Natalie Gonzalez