Deadline for Leadership Asheville is May 31

From UNC Asheville:

Leadership Asheville Application Deadline Approaches

Less than two weeks remain before the May 31st application deadline for Program 35 of UNC Asheville’s Leadership Asheville, the region’s foremost community leadership development program, serving the region since 1982.

“As a human resource professional, I’ve been fortunate to have been exposed to various professional development tools, resources and opportunities. Leadership Asheville has been among the best and most meaningful of those experiences, primarily because it has directly impacted my ability to understand and apply what I’ve learned in my personal and professional lives as well as in my community, in such a positive way,” said Scott McLean, talent acquisition & workforce planning manager at The Biltmore Company, who just completed Leadership Asheville’s 34th annual program.

McLean worked as part of a team of Leadership Asheville participants who assisted the Asheville Grown Business Alliance (AGBA) in optimizing its organizational structure and and developing a strategic plan. Other teams worked with Asheville on Bikes; City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA); Center for Craft, Creativity & Design; Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina; The Haywood Street Congregation; LEAF Community Arts; Western North Carolina Nature Center; and Young Professionals of Asheville.

“The program’s unique format makes the community the classroom, bringing people together from all sectors who are interested in strengthening their knowledge of, commitment to, and involvement in collaborative leadership and community service,” said Ed Manning, director of Leadership Asheville. “Participants develop an in-depth understanding of the greater Asheville community and acquire the skills and tools necessary to contribute in a variety of leadership roles. Many employers commit to financially cover their employees’ participation in Leadership Asheville each year because they recognize the value of a development program that costs just $20 per training hour.”

Each participant is asked to personally contribute toward their tuition for the program, which costs $2,800 for employees of companies or organizations with 25 or more full-time employees. Tuition is $2,500 for smaller businesses, organizations and for individuals. Financial assistance, averaging $750 per recipient, is available on a limited basis.

Leadership Asheville Program 35 begins with a full-day orientation on September 14 and a separate two-day, two-night opening retreat, September 29 – October 1, and continues with full-day monthly sessions through graduation on May 24, 2017. Additional involvement in the following year allows participants to meet and engage with a broader community of leaders.

Leadership Asheville, a program of UNC Asheville, receives generous support from its sustaining partners: Mission Health System, BorgWarner, and TD Bank.
The deadline for application is Tuesday, May 31. For more information and an application to the Leadership Asheville Program 35, visit leadershipasheville.unca.edu or contact Jan Lowe at jlowe@unca.edu or 255-7100.