About Leadership Westmoreland

J.D. Dunbar, director of the Pennsylvania Rural Leadership (RULE) program from Penn State University, conducted a communications seminar for class participants.

About the Program

Leadership Westmoreland is a leadership development program designed to expand the pool of community leaders.

The Retreat

The first session, usually held in September, is a retreat that starts on Thursday evening and continues until Friday afternoon.  This program for this retreat helps members of the incoming class learn about themselves, and their classmates.  You meet for the first time as strangers and a few hours later, you have a group of new friends!

The retreat includes a number of programs about leadership, teamwork, personality, self awareness, and skills development. 

Phil Dymond, retired economic development executive and member of the
Excela Health board of trustees, took advantage of the ideal weather to
conduct her session on working in small groups for program participants.  

Monthly Sessions

Each month, the class meets at a different location throughout Westmoreland County.  These half day sessions provides an amazing amount of information about a wide range of subjects important to the Westmoreland County Community. 

Experts and leaders from the community give their valuable time to explain the issues and answer questions from the class. Imagine learning about the justice system from the perspective of a police officer, a District Magistrate, a District Attorney, a Public Defender, and a Judge,  taking about the future of education with School Directors and Presidents of Colleges and Universities, or discussing media issues with newspaper editors, and TV and radio newscasters.  These are examples of the quality of the Leadership Westmoreland monthly sessions.

Quality of Life Bus Tour

One session each year is a full day bus tour of Westmoreland County focusing on the quality of life in the Westmoreland County Region.  While the stops on the tour vary from year to year, the result is the same.  The Leadership Westmoreland class learns about the history, recreational opportunities, cultural resources, and business opportunities throughout Westmoreland County.

The "Last Supper"

The Leadership Session draws to a close with the "Last Supper". This final meeting wraps up the year and provides an opportunity to demonstrate class projects.

Leadership Westmoreland Class VIII

STANDING: Rosanne Novotnak (Norwin Chamber of Commerce), Joe Horency (The Advisors LLC), Kris Douglas (First National Bank of PA), Pat McKula (Westmoreland County Community College), Linda Morlacci (WCCC Education Foundation), Jack Brown (Westmoreland Human Opportunities, Inc.), Joanne Pearson (Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau), Carolyn Royse (Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland), and Brian Sciore (Minuteman Press).   SEATED: Marjorie Gongaware (Laurel Highlands Chamber of Commerce), Jackie Livengood (IQ Inc.), Sherri Bett  and Chrissy Schaeffer (Seton Hill University), Kara Prentice (Westinghouse Electric Co.), and Susan Bortz (Mayor, Derry Borough).

Join the Alumni Association to participate to keep in touch with your Leadership Westmoreland classmates and to network with classmates from other classes.  Learn more about Leadership Westmoreland Alumni Association.

Your Commitment

To ensure commitment to the community, participants will be expected to adhere to a strict attendance policy. It's required that you attend the retreat, participate in a group project, and attend 80% of the sessions to graduate.

Graduates are encouraged to actively participate in community service. Graduates may select, or upon request can be referred to, community organizations to which they can volunteer their services.

Leadership Westmoreland graduates possess a unique understanding and appreciation of the interworking services of the community and are trained in leadership skills. Leadership Westmoreland Alumni are excellent candidates to serve on local boards, committees and task forces.
 

Sessions

Session topics may vary from one year to the next.  The list gives a sample of the types of sessions you might expect.

• Opening Leadership Retreat
• Local and County Government
• Community & Economic Development
• Education
• Relationship between Business & Labor
• Healthcare & Human Services
• Justice System
• Business & Entrepreneurial Development
• Our Heritage & Quality of Life
• Media
• Understanding Diversity

Leadership Westmoreland is designed to ensure that new, able, resourceful, and vigorous leadership will be continuously added to our communities. The Leadership Westmoreland program is structured to help participants understand the problems and opportunities we face in deciding our future.
 

The ten month course of study informs and exposes participants to various facets of community life; provides participants with the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with community leaders; to motivate participants to assume leadership roles in community affairs; and to receive training which will help develop and enhance leadership skills, providing the confidence and knowledge essential to becoming involved as leaders in various fields of service.

Leadership Westmoreland Class VI
 

Class Projects

Non-profit organizations in need of assistance submit proposals to Leadership Westmoreland. At the initial retreat, the class divides into two or three teams and chooses a class project from the submitted proposals. 

The year long Leadership Westmoreland projects put leadership and teamwork skills into practice - and helps to improve the community.  The future leaders set and accomplish goals, while working with the non-profit organization.

The 2007-2008 Leadership Westmoreland Class chose the Ligonier Highland Games, the American Red Cross - Chestnut Ridge Chapter, and Union Mission of Latrobe as their projects.

If your non-profit would like to submit a proposal, contact a participating Chamber of Commerce.

Tuition & Sponsors

The tuition for the program is $895.00. The tuition pays for the program material and supplies, food and refreshments, admission charges, and conference fees.

Often sponsoring companies or employers share in the tuition for the program.  However, we look for commitment by the participants. Class members are expected to share the cost with any sponsor by contributing at least $100 toward tuition.

Tuition is payable by check to Leadership Westmoreland upon receipt of an invoice.  Invoices are provided after acceptance into the program.
 

Scholarships

Full and partial scholarships are sometimes available.  Contact The Latrobe Chamber of Commerce at 724-537-2671 or info@latrobearea.com for more information.