LEAP is a 10-week product management certification course designed for individuals of all experience levels. When the founders approached me with the idea, I immediately recognized its potential to fill a critical gap in student education. As someone passionate about product management but without access to formal resources at my college, I felt a strong personal connection to the mission. There were no product management courses or clubs on campus, and I took the initiative to start the process of launching a PM club before I graduated.

Seeing how crucial this program could be for students like myself, I joined LEAP to assist with market research and outreach. My goal was to help spread awareness about the field of product management, which many students hadn't heard of, or had misconceptions about. Through my contributions, I played a role in bringing this resource to students who were eager to learn about the field in a structured, meaningful way.

In addition to conducting market research, I became a student in one of the first cohorts of the course. The experience was incredible. I worked on a capstone project from scratch, creating a 1-pager, product strategy, roadmap, PRD, and design, which I then presented to the class. The course also introduced me to essential product management tools like Miro, JIRA, SQL (in a data analysis class), and Figma. I learned key terminology and concepts while applying everything hands-on, which not only enriched my understanding of the product lifecycle but also prepared me well for the job market and hiring season.

LEAP was not just about assisting with outreach—it was a personal and professional growth journey. By the end, I had gained invaluable skills, created a capstone project I was proud of, and felt equipped to pursue opportunities in product management with confidence.