Erie, Pa. (March 23, 2016) – The Jefferson Educational Society, Erie’s think tank for community progress located at 3207 State St., has begun accepting applications to The Erie County Civic Leadership Academy 2016.
Begun in 2015 as an initiative of The Jefferson Alliance for Community Progress, The ECCL Academy prepares Erie professionals, ages 25 to 45, for meaningful engagement in their community through a seven-month-long Academy. At the conference, JES staff unveiled the 2016 curriculum, a retreat to Harrisburg, tuition costs, scholarship opportunities, and more.
“The ECCL Academy provides a dynamic and unique environment that fosters teamwork, growth, and learning through a transformative experience for those seeking to be agents of change for their community,” said JES Program Director Ben Speggen.
“Through The ECCL Academy, students will examine the inner workings of local government to emerge as civic leaders capable of effecting positive change for Erie County’s future with an understanding of Erie’s past and present,” said JES Vice President and Executive Director Ferki Ferati.
The 2016 curriculum includes 10 sessions to be held either at The Jefferson or on-site throughout Erie County. The sessions will focus on understanding Erie County’s economy, exploring innovation in the region, learning the history of the region, evaluating challenges faced by communities throughout the County, and more. ECCL participations will also embark on a retreat to Harrisburg in June and will also attend The JES’s Global Summit Speaker Series in November.
“The ECCL Academy afforded me the opportunity to not only gain a better understanding of government throughout our area but also to work closely with a strong group of leaders in taking on a civic project that would be transformational for the area,” said Kyle Hinsdale, CFO of NE Foods, Inc. “The knowledge gained and the friendships that were formed are something that I will carry with me throughout my professional career.”
ECCL Academy 2016 brochures, which outline the 2016 schedule, group action project, tuition, scholarship opportunities, and more, are available at The Jefferson and online by clicking here. Applications will be accepted on a rolling-admission basis and will be accepted in-person at The Jefferson or online by clicking here. Applications must be received no later than Friday, May 20 to be considered for 2016’s Erie County Civic Leadership Academy.
For more information at The Erie County Civic Leadership Academy 2016, please contact:
Ben Speggen,
Program Director,
The Jefferson Educational Society
Speggen@JESerie.org
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The Jefferson Educational Society of Erie is a nonprofit institution founded to promote civic enlightenment and community progress for the Erie region through study, research, and discussion. The Society offers courses, seminars, and lectures that explain the central ideas that have formed the past, assist in exploring the present, and offer guidance to enhance the civic future of the Erie region. As an Erie think tank, The Jefferson Educational Society promotes knowledge and civic pride through institutional and familial research, the publication of policy papers on public issues and the sponsorship of civic forums.
