The so-called “real world” looks pretty scary to many graduating college seniors, especially those who’d rather lead social change than become mere cogs in the wheel of global commerce. Now, thanks to a new program offered by the Sullivan Foundation, a cohort of select Sullivan alumni won’t have to face it alone.
Available exclusively to Sullivan Award recipients and past Ignite Retreat attendees under the age of 35, the Impact Leaders program is a seven-month post-graduate leadership experience that will help them chart their own course as changemakers and entrepreneurs and build a life with meaning, purpose and direction.
Click here to learn more about the Sullivan Post-Graduate Impact Leaders program.
Running from October 2022 through April 2023, the Impact Leaders program will be open to 10-15 participants in its first year. The experience, which includes group coaching, individual mentoring and two Ignite Retreats, will help Fellows reflect on and hone their personal leadership skills. Each Fellow will also have an opportunity to define and deepen the impact they want to make in their community through a social impact project or initiative.
In addition to becoming part of a cohort of high-impact leaders from across the Sullivan network, Fellows will work closely with experienced mentors who will help them refine their leadership journey and develop their own “entrepreneurial life plan.” Along the way, they will gain a deeper understanding of leadership while building strong connections with fellow cohort members and changemaking professionals that can last a lifetime.
To apply for the program, candidates must clearly explain why they want to participate through five short essays and a two-minute video, plus a resume or brief bio that summarizes their track record of servant leadership.
Fellows will be required to take the Sullivan Foundation’s INSPIRED leadership course, offered virtually from Fall 2022 through Spring 2023. The course will focus on the practice of leadership and what it means to be a purposeful leader. The INSPIRED acronym stands for:
Introspective—Examining your thoughts and feelings
Nimble—Moving quickly and easily and adapting to change and new challenges
Service-Oriented—Serving others
Purposeful—Understanding, articulating and implementing your purpose
Influential—Influencing others to share a common vision
Relational—Connecting, building trust and celebrating others
Emotional Intelligence—Managing emotions and influencing the emotions of others
Determined—Persevering and achieving long-term goals
The INSPIRED course examines such topics as the nature of leadership; understanding leadership styles; developing leadership skills; creating a vision; and managing conflict. Fellows will also be required to meet bi-weekly for short (30-minute) virtual talks by national speakers, followed immediately by a 30-minute meeting focused on leadership performance.
Upon completion of the course, the Fellows will:
- Gain an awareness of their own leadership philosophy, skills and behaviors.
- Gain an understanding of fundamental ways in which leadership is practiced in ongoing organizations.
- Gain an understanding and appreciation for the unique dimensions of their own leadership style and ways to improve what they do as leaders.
The deadline to apply for the Sullivan Impact Leaders program is Friday, July 29.
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