Emerging Leaders
About the Program
If you are a professional with a passion for growing your career and becoming actively engaged in the community, the Emerging Leaders Series offers the ideal setting to expand your horizons.
Make Grand Rapids your classroom with five half-day sessions that combine tours, speakers, activities, and interdisciplinary discussions that build community connections, leadership skills, and insight into issues facing Grand Rapids. Plus, you’ll discover new opportunities to engage in the community.
Applications for the 2021 Emerging Leaders Series cohorts are now open.
Your application is NOT COMPLETE without a signed commitment form. Please submit this to Mel Trombley, Director of Leadership Programs, to be considered for the Emerging Leaders Series.
This program is right for you if you are looking for:
- Conversations with key community leaders
- Visits to innovative community programs and initiatives
- Networking with a diverse group of peers
- An orientation to the city and what makes it a unique community
- Personal leadership development
This professional development opportunity is particularly valuable for young and early-career professionals, as well as those with a keen interest in our community and growing professionally.
Chamber leadership programs prioritize creating spaces where diverse perspectives can come together to learn, grow and push our community forward.
2021 Session Dates, Program Details & Cost
Cohort 1
All sessions are hosted bi-weekly on Wednesday between 11:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
- April 7: Orientation & Building Relationships
- April 21: Your Community
- May 5: Finding Your Strengths
- May 19: Key Community Issues
- June 2: You Are Next
Cohort 2
All sessions are hosted bi-weekly on Wednesday between 11:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
- October 13: Orientation & Building Relationships
- October 27: Your Community
- November 10: Finding Your Strengths
- December 1: Key Community Issues
- December 15: You Are Next
Attendance at all program sessions is mandatory to achieve the full value of the program. If you cannot adjust your schedule to accommodate full participation, please consider applying at a time when you have greater flexibility. If selected, the participants’ employer will be required to provide a signature agreeing to their full support for the employee’s time required to participate in the Emerging Leaders Series.
Cost and Scholarships
Program Cost: Tuition must be paid in full by the first class session.
Chamber Member: $800
Non-Member: $950
There are a limited number of partial scholarship funds available. Please submit the following scholarship application form to mel@grandrapids.org along with a short explanation of the reason for your request NO LATER than 30 days prior to first session to be considered.
2021 Emerging Leaders Series Scholarship Application
Questions or Comments?
Please connect with Mel Trombley, Director of Leadership Programs, at mel@grandrapids.org.
Program Sponsors
Premier Sponsor
Trustee Sponsor
Emerging Sponsor