A new leadership development program has been launched to serve the Wabash Valley.
Called the Wabash Valley Leadership Institute, it is a collaborative effort between Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce. The intent is to “engage and energize leadership efforts in the Wabash Valley,” according Susan Turner, who will serve as the WVLI coordinator.
WVLI sessions will be presented twice a year at SMWC, in November and April. The week-long (Sunday-Friday) schedule will be intense and require overnight stays on the campus at its Guest House. Twenty participants will be chosen for each cohort. Individuals who have shown leadership skills in their professional and personal lives and wish to learn additional skills or refine those skills are the ideal candidates for this program, organizers say.
The first class, to be offered in November, is already full and will consist of executives in the community.
”The Terre Haute community has been void of a leadership development program for nearly two years,” said Rachel Leslie, SMWC chief external relations officer, who did research for the program, as did Turner, who is SMWC senior director of advancement and alumni relations.
They did research as students in the SMWC master of leadership development program, and WVLI was created based on their master’s thesis. The program will serve Vigo, Vermillion, Parke, Sullivan, Clay and Putnam counties.
“It is custom-built for just the Wabash Valley,” Leslie said in an announcement at the SMWC Guest House, where the program will be headquartered. The program’s theme is “awesome ... We’re ready to be awesome as a community.”
Turner said the project has been a “labor of love” for those involved. “I’m very excited about this,” she said. Participants will learn in a variety of ways including self-assessment, lecture, case study review, reflection, team building and peer coaching.
Curriculum will cover five leadership pillars: communication strategies, confidence, resource management, creative leadership and vision. Sessions also will focus on community development.
The institute will have nightly group discussions, guest speakers (local and national) and team-building exercises that will involve horses — SMWC has an equine studies program.
Dottie King, SMWC president, said the institute “is a unique opportunity for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.” She talked about the legacy of leadership provided by Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, who founded the college.
Guerin, who arrived at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in 1840, faced many challenges but didn’t let them deter her; she focused on solving problems, accomplishing the mission before her and getting things done, King said.
“As a higher education institution, we have a social responsibility to provide educational support to the Wabash Valley,” King said.
David Haynes, president of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce, said the leadership institute is an opportunity for current and emerging leaders to learn more about how to deal with people, address issues, form a vision and then carry it out.
“Without an effective program to develop leaders, the Wabash Valley cannot continue to grow and compete at a national or global level. To help meet this need, the Wabash Valley Leadership Institute was formed,” he said. The initiative will help build “a stronger, brighter future for the business community in the Wabash Valley.”
Those who successfully complete the Wabash Valley Leadership Institute will be able to receive three credit hours toward a master’s degree in leadership development at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
Registration for the April 2015 cohort is now open, and applications can be found online at www.smwc.edu/wvli. For more information, contact Turner at 812-535-5143 or via email at sturner3@smwc.edu.