APPLYING TO THE CORE PROGRAM

At Leadership Rhode Island, you will be challenged by the critical issues facing our state and get an off-the-record, behind-the-scene view of Rhode Island. You’ll go where the issues are and interact with key state and community business leaders. And all of this will happen in the company of 50 other leaders from a wide range of industries, fields and backgrounds - all selected for their leadership capacities, talents, and life experiences, and all sharing one thing in common: a commitment to making Rhode Island a better community.

Imagine touring Narragansett Bay in a boat to see first hand bayside development, and the aquatic life the bay holds. Imagine discussing ethics in the media with key Rhode Island’s TV, radio and newspaper reporters and editors, and then taking on that role yourself. Imagine touring the state’s correctional facilities and speaking with inmates about life on the inside and their hopes and fears for when they get out.

Imagine exploring state-of-the-art medical technology developed right here in Rhode Island. Imagine sitting with a group of high schoolers to hear how their school has turned itself around and what that means to their lives and aspirations.

Imagine yourself as a State Senator, caucusing with your party, researching and hearing testimony on bills on immigration or education, and engaging in a lively Senate floor debate and vote. Imagine speaking with the Chief of Police of our Capital City about crime, gangs, and curbing violence among our youth.

The Curriculum

Each year, Leadership Rhode Island selects a diverse group of leaders to participate in a thought-provoking, 10-month educational program that consists of an overnight retreat, nine monthly daylong sessions, and (optionally) a small-group project. Participants experience an integrated, systems-based leadership education which is framed around statewide issues.

Session days typically include the following topics. Click the links to see photos and a description from past session days.

• Healthcare
• Education
• Government
• Media
• Economic Development
• Criminal Justice
• Environment
• Arts

Also, throughout the year, we invite participants to engage in enhancement activities. These are optional activities taking place outside of the session days, and they are opportunities to enhance your knowledge of a topic through experience. For example,you might have to opportunity to ride with a police officer on his or her beat, tour a free health care clinic, tour the state landfill, tour an art gallery, have a private meeting with a newspaper editor, or ride a black hawk helicopter.

Outcomes

Not only does the program provide on-site, experiential knowledge of the Rhode Island community, it also develops leadership competencies such as visioning; collaboration; respect for diversity and leading with inclusiveness; emotional intelligence; coalition building; strategic thinking; creating public dialogue; and developing solutions.

The benefits of the Core Leadership Program are numerous, for individuals, their organizations, and the greater community.  Participation is just the beginning of an ongoing commitment to leadership trustee development, and alumni of the program remain active with LRI and in their communities.