The American Leaders Class (ALC) was founded on September 22, 2021, by Professor David Ssejinja from Utah Valley University, Professor Tim Szcepanski and Christopher Whitesides from California State University, Northridge (Outdoor Adventures), and Miria Bukirwa, an Accountant and an alumnus of California State University, Northridge. The program was formerly known as the American Leadership Academy, USA.

When the academy first opened its doors, the world was experiencing the COVID pandemic. The global educational system was impacted and was unprepared for challenge of this magnitude. Although most developed nations were known to have plans in place for dealing with natural disasters and other recognized global catastrophes, this one stood out because it rocked the core foundation of every institution in existence. The world saw a surge in technology use during this massive calamity, which helped to propel economies that were close to the brink of total collapse. 

Globally, the educational system was totally paralyzed in the less developed nations. The only option left to the less developed nations, such as those in Africa, who were unprepared for a calamity of this magnitude, was to completely shut down the schooling system. For instance, Uganda, the educational system was closed for two years and during this time, the nation saw a rise in adolescent pregnancies and an increase in all forms of criminal abuse brought on by laziness. Thus, using zoom, the technology in high use at the time, the founders of the American Leadership Class came up with the idea of providing online education globally, especially to developing nations. The founders also had to decide on a specific topic or area to teach, which was leadership.

The American Leadership Class (ALC) initiative aims to provide leadership knowledge to less developed nations, addressing the gap in resource access and skills. ALC facilitates knowledge exchange between educators and students.  The ultimate goal is to utilize acquired knowledge and experience to grow and replicate themselves by teaching and training others, and applying these skills in their leadership roles. The program’s primary goal was implemented through outreach and teamwork, collaborating with colleges and universities like Utah Valley University, California State University, Northridge, and Ndejje University in Uganda.  The other assistance includes computers, t-shirts, and volunteers from lecturers and their student assistants, as well as guest lecturers who generously give their time to teach.

The program offers students practical leadership training through online learning, real-world projects, collaborative work, and weekly assignments, focusing on developing essential leadership skills. The ALC program involves lectures delivered by faculty from various partner universities, volunteer students from California State University, Northridge, and special guests.