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"Strengthening Leadership, Building Community"

Class of 2025 Applications are open!

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Program Overview

Leadership Champlain is a professional development and community engagement program of the Lake Champlain Chamber with a mission to foster growth and leadership in professionals who will serve our community now and in the future.

Leadership Champlain consists of retreats, full-day seminars, service projects, discussion groups and community tours from September to June. Participants meet monthly to explore critical community issues, examine themselves as leaders, and build relationships of trust and understanding.

The program objectives are to equip its participants with the knowledge and skills to become civically engaged; to facilitate discussion around a wide breadth of topics amongst a diversity of perspectives; and to engage in reflective and collaborative activities surrounding these topics. 

Graduates of the program will leave steeped in knowledge about the biggest issues our community faces, inspired to get involved where they are interested, and connected to the right leaders to make a change.

Each day of Leadership Champlain is focused on a different sector. Over the course of the class year, topics such as Human Services, Business and Economy, Government and Politics, Public Safety and Justice, Education, Healthcare, Energy and Environment, and Arts and Culture will be explored by the cohort.

Interested in Applying Next Year?

Fill in the expression of interest form below to be added to an email list. We'll notify you when applications open again.

Ideal Applicant

Selection Process

The Leadership Champlain Selection Committee is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and seeks to accept a diverse class representative of our community. 

Leadership Champlain is committed to the recruitment and selection of applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, gender identity or expression, or any other factor or characteristic protected by law.

Leadership Champlain is also committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact Director of Workforce and Education, Alex Bunten.

Program Schedule

After the two day Opening Retreat, Seminar Days are typically set for the second Tuesday of every month from October to June. 

Program dates for the Class of 2025 are:

Opening Retreat

Sept. 19-20, 2024 (required two-full days of programming and overnight stay)

Seminar Days

Human Services – Oct. 8
Government and Politics – Nov. 12 
Business and Economy – Dec. 10 
Public Safety and Justice – Jan. 14 
Education – Feb. 11 
Healthcare – March 11 
Energy and Environment – April 8 
Arts and Culture – May 13 

Graduation – June 10 

Commitment

All members of the cohort must be able to attend eight of the nine program days and the mandatory two-day overnight retreat in September.

All members of the cohort must be able to commit to 5-10 hours of additional work per month throughout the program. This time will be spent on two separate group projects and any necessary pre-reading that is distributed prior to program days.

Members of the cohort should expect to be in Leadership Champlain sessions from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. on the seminar days.

Tuition & Fees

A $50 non-refundable application fee is due when an application is submitted. The application fee is not applied to the tuition total. Your application will not be reviewed until you submit the application fee. 
 
The fee can be paid with a credit card at this link bit.ly/LCAppFee
 
Checks for the fee can be made payable to “Lake Champlain Chamber” and mailed to: Lake Champlain Chamber, ATTN: Leadership Champlain, 60 Main Street, Suite 100, Burlington, VT 05401.
 

If you applied last year and were not accepted, we encourage you to apply again. Your application fee will be waived and you will receive an extra point in the assessment process. 

Class of 2025 Tuition for Chamber Members: $2,400

Class of 2025 Tuition for Non-Members: $3,100

 
Financial assistance is available on a limited, needs basis.
 

Candidates will be notified of acceptance or non-acceptance by the end of June.

If you have any questions, please contact Alex Bunten, Director of Workforce and Education, [email protected], 802-863-3489, ext 201

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