Building Leaders from Within: Celebrating Our Aurora and Voyager Graduates

4 min. read

Empathy, Humanity, Trust, and Love are the principles that have guided Rocket Software for more than three decades. At the heart of those values is our belief that when we invest in our people, we unlock innovation, strengthen our culture, and create lasting impact for our customers. Our Rocketeers bring that belief to life every day, and we are proud to celebrate a group of leaders who exemplify it in action.

We recently held graduation ceremonies for two of our leadership development programs, Aurora and Voyager, both delivered in partnership with reacHIRE. These milestones are far more than a certificate. They represent confidence gained, connections built, and leadership capabilities strengthened in the name of helping Rocketeers grow their careers from within to lead with purpose and conviction.

 

Building Leadership from Within 

At Rocket, leadership development is a core tenet of our innovative culture. Our goal is to continuously help our teams evolve alongside our business and the broader market. Programs like Aurora and Voyager are designed to empower Rocketeers at different stages of their careers to deepen self-awareness, expand influence, and lead in ways that reflect Rocket’s core values. Skills that will carry them and their long-term careers further.

As Julie Law, our Chief People Officer, shared at commencement, “Voyager and Aurora illustrate Rocket’s commitment to growing our talent from within by building leadership capability, connection, and fostering a true growth mindset rooted in our core values.”

Together, these programs reinforce our goal of developing leaders who bring clarity and empathy to everything they do, ushering in the next era of tech talent with a people-first approach. 

Aurora: Empowering Women Leaders to Lead with Confidence

Aurora is Rocket’s leadership development program designed to support and elevate women leaders across the organization. Through a combination of guided learning, pure connection, and mentorship, Aurora helps Rocketeers strengthen leadership skills, build confidence, and cultivate a strong sense of belonging. 

Headshots of graduates of the 2025 Aurora program

For many graduates, the impact extends well beyond simple skill building: 

“Aurora has given me more confidence and trust in myself; I have understood my values are my north star and it has helped me to bring authenticity into what I do.” 

Rocketeers shared how the program helped them clarify their leadership identity, strengthen self-awareness, and lead with intention. 

“The Aurora program helped me grow both personally and professionally – it strengthened my confidence, self-awareness, and leadership skills.” 

Equally powerful was the sense of connection Aurora fostered across teams and roles. 

“Aurora introduced me to a great network of peers whom I would otherwise not be exposed to in my day-to-day role at Rocket.” 

Managers who mentored participants noted meaningful changes in how graduates approached leadership, noting their increased confidence and intention, alongside more effective people and process management. These shifts translated into stronger collaboration, improved efficiency, and  enhanced leadership across teams and projects. 

Voyager: Leadership in Action, Grounded in Rocket Values

Voyager focuses on developing the capabilities of our technical individual contributors with an emphasis on presence, influence, communication, and values-driven leadership. This program taught and encouraged Rocketeers to apply self-awareness and strategic, out-of-the-box thinking to real-world challenges while building stronger connections with peers. 

Headshots of graduates of the 2025 Voyager program

Graduates consistently pointed to the value of shared perspectives and open dialogue during their time with Voyager: 

“The conversations I had with my peers were so insightful and brought different perspectives to problem solving.” 

Rocketeers also highlighted how Voyager helped them show up more confidently and effectively as leaders: 

“[Voyager] helped me to express myself in the right forums with the right mindset.” 

“The program helped me elevate my leadership presence, enhance my ability to lead with authenticity, and foster deeper trust within my teams.” 

Managers leading the program observed clear, tangible outcomes. Participants consistently applied new skills in their day-to-day roles: strengthening their leadership presence, communicating with greater Impact, and positively influencing projects and team dynamics. These observable shifts demonstrate the program’s direct impact, delivering meaningful value to Rocket, our teams, and the customers and stakeholders we serve. 

 

A Culture of Continuous Learning and Growth 

Aurora and Voyager share a common goal: helping Rocketeers grow into the confident, capable leaders of tomorrow, embodying Rocket’s values at every turn. These programs and their impact demonstrate how investing in our people creates ripple effects for and beyond tomorrow – stronger teams, better collaboration, and leaders better equipped to guide Rocket into the future. 

As we celebrate this year’s graduates, we also recognize the mentors, managers, and our partners at reacHIRE who made these transformations possible. It’s a shared commitment to development that plays a critical role in building a culture of innovation where learning never stops. 

 

Congratulations to our 2025 Aurora and Voyager graduates on this outstanding achievement. Your investment in growth and leadership is already helping shape the future of Rocket – strengthening our culture, empowering our teams, and influencing the products we deliver. 

Learn more about our culture and development programs here. 

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