This unique program consists of ten full-day seminars held monthly from September through May. Topics explored may vary from year to year, but usually include:

• Community Trusteeship
• Cultural Diversity in the Lehigh Valley
• The Government Environment
• Human Needs and Social Services
• The Health Care Delivery System
• Economic Development in the Lehigh Valley
• The Educational System
• Lehigh Valley Infrastructure
• The Judicial System in the Lehigh Valley
• Transition to Community Leadership
• Media and Media Relations
• Arts and Culture in the Lehigh Valley

Learning Objectives:
Each seminar is designed to enhance or underscore specific leadership concepts and skills, such as:

Visioning, team building, collaboration, consensus building, ethical decision making, board functions, servant leadership, community trusteeship.

BOARD OBSERVATION ACTIVITY

Participants in the Leadership Lehigh Valley program are expected to attend a board meeting of an organization of their choosing, to help broaden their knowledge and understanding of board dynamics and community service opportunities. Many boards welcome the opportunity to have Leadership Lehigh Valley class members visit their meetings.

An evaluation form should be completed and submitted after the observation. A generic discussion of the observations takes place at the final seminar, Transition to Community Leadership, in May.

CLASS PROJECT

The class participants work together on a class project during the ten-month program. The project topic is solely the decision of the class and must provide a benefit to the community and may serve as a catalyst for future community action.

The time required to complete the project by the end of the program year, is in addition to the time devoted to the ten seminars.

In addition to its benefit to the community, the class project activity develops and reinforces leadership and team building skills. For a summary of class projects, click here.