Earn a “Master’s Degree” in Jefferson County
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Goals
The primary goal of Leadership Jefferson is to educate current and future community leaders about Jefferson County’s assets, opportunities, and hurdles, to strengthen the sense of community and ensure a prosperous future.
During the 10-month program, participants will develop leadership skills and will hone their leadership abilities through training sessions under professional leadership.
Participants will meet the movers and shakers in Jefferson County and the State, from government officials to business owners to private citizens, all of whom help make Jefferson County what it is and what it could be. Perhaps more importantly, participants will have great bonding experiences with each other and will build important relationships for the future.
Program
Leadership Jefferson will meet every month from September through June to cover a different topic. Each monthly module will involve interactions with relevant subject matter experts, questions and answers, tours, presentations, panels, discussions, competitions, challenges, intellectual stimulation, and fun.
Leadership Jefferson will typically meet the second Wednesday of every month, with the exception of September when the year kicks off with a two-day Leadership Retreat, and February, when participants experience one of the highlights of the year: a three-day trip to Charleston for the State Government module.
Each year is different, but past modules have included Local Government, Agriculture, Economic Development, History and Culture, Land Use, Education, Tourism and Recreation, Public Safety and Health. Students will be put into teams to plan a module on their own.
Tuition
Tuition will be $875 for members of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce ($1,025 for non-members). Tuition will cover lodging at the Retreat and in Charleston, all meals, activity costs, transportation to Charleston, and the graduation banquet for the participant and a guest. A *non-refundable deposit of $400 ($450) will be due upon acceptance of the Applicant; the remaining tuition will be due no later than the opening retreat.
Employers / Sponsors
The participant’s sponsor or employer should pay the tuition. More importantly, the sponsor or employer MUST agree to let the participant attend all functions. That means two days in September, two days in February, the second Wednesday of every month from October through June (except February). This will be money and time well spent.
* To ensure the success of the program, payments will be non-refundable. If an employer would like to substitute another person because of a change in circumstances, the employer must obtain approval from the Leadership Jefferson Director prior to the start of the program.
Sign Up
After reading this information, we invite you to fill out the application and return it to us for this exciting and important program.