Civic Leadership Academy at
the University of Chicago
is an interdisciplinary certificate program for high-potential government and nonprofit professionals
combining academic course work with action skills and a capstone project. The Civic Leadership Academy
aims to enhance the capacity of these leaders to perform effectively in their positions and within their
organizations, thereby strengthening the communities they serve and the city of Chicago as a whole.
Civic Leadership
Academy
Apply online by October 10, 2015, at cla.uchicago.edu.
W I N T E R /S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 J A N UA R Y 1 4 , 2 0 1 6 — J U N E 1 8 , 2 0 1 6The Civic Leadership Academy
The Civic Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago is an interdisciplinary leadership
development program for emerging and high-potential leaders in nonprofit organizations
and local government agencies within the City of Chicago and Cook County. Developed by
the University’s Office of Civic Engagement, in partnership with LISC Chicago and the Civic
Consulting Alliance, the program is designed to develop a
pipeline of talented leaders to
help nonprofits and government agencies thrive.
A Resource for Government
and Nonprofit Institutions
Nonprofit organizations and government institutions in urban areas often tackle difficult social issues with limited resources, including time to invest in developing leaders. Civic Leadership Academy Fellows gain knowledge, confidence, and perspective to be more successful and effective.Participating organizations benefit from the enhanced leadership skills and insights employees bring back to their institutions.
What Makes the Civic Leadership
Academy Distinctive?
Academic and Project-based Learning
The Civic Leadership Academy is grounded in the leadership develop- ment framework conceived by Chicago Booth Professor Harry Davis and Robin Hogarth.
Interdisciplinary Academic Curriculum
The Civic Leadership Academy brings together faculty from the University’s five professional schools and other institutions to teach with expert practitioners.
Project-Based Learning
Academy Fellows have the opportunity to apply the leadership skills they develop to real world situations through a capstone project and global practicum.
Cross-Sector Network
After completing the program, the Fellows become part of a network for alumni who will continue to collaborate for positive social change in Chicago. University of Chicago Partners
• Office of Civic Engagement • Chicago Harris School of
Public Policy
• School of Social Service Administration
• Chicago Booth School of Business • University of Chicago Law School • Institute of Politics
• Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies
Nonprofit and Government Partners
• LISC Chicago
• Civic Consulting Alliance • City of Chicago
The Setting
Classes are held on the University of Chicago’s Hyde Park campus and in downtown Chicago.
Program Dates and Fees
January 14–June 18, 2016 The Civic Leadership Academy meets Thursday evenings and all day on Fridays, every other week for six months. The program also includes a week-long global practicum. The full value of the Civic Leadership Academy is more than $25,000 per Fellow. However, with funding from the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, and other philanthropic sources, the University is able to offer the program at a cost of $6,000. Financial assistance is available.
Apply by October 10, 2015
The Civic Leadership Academy is currently seeking nominations and applications for the 2016 cohort. The program is designed to benefit high-potential leaders in nonprofit and local government agencies who are eager to grow and advance the missions of their organizations. The Civic Leadership Academy is rigorous and demands a significant investment of time, an eagerness to stretch oneself intellectually, and the ability to examine one’s own leadership behavior. Successful candidates will grow individually, deliver value to their organizations, and work toward having a broad impact on the residents of the city of Chicago.
Apply online at cla.uchicago.edu.
“Nonprofits and government agencies
depend highly on their staffs, who
don’t have as many professional devel-
opment opportunities as their private
sector peers. By providing these
up-and-comers with a forum for gaining
new knowledge, insights, and skills,
the Civic Leadership Academy will
help them deepen their impact in the
communities we serve.”
— Cook County Board President
Toni Preckwinkle
“The Civic Leadership Academy
was a life-changing experience for
me. It absolutely reinforced my
leadership development journey.”
— Yesenia Cervantes, Instituto del
Progreso Latino, Director of Center
for Working Families
“The Civic Leadership Academy
experience helped me realize what
it means to be a nonprofit leader
in the city of Chicago.”
— James Rudyk, Jr., Executive Director,
Northwest Side Housing Center
Civic Leadership
Academy Curriculum
Leadership, Strategy and Management
Successfully manage challenging projects, from articulating a vision to getting it done
Data Analytics
Observe, collect and, analyze data Global Practicum
Learn to lead beyond authority, develop cultural intelligence, and gain a global perspective on Chicago’s urban landscape
Strategic Communications
Identify the strategic role of communications for the civic sector; anticipate and manage crisis with strategic communication
Human Capital
Lead and manage people more effectively, manage stressful situations, and negotiate with confidence Strategic Financial Planning
Create and advocate for a budget that aligns to strategy Policy Innovation and Ethics
Understand the role of policy advocacy and ethics in the public sector
For more information, contact: Joanie Friedman
Director of Civic Partnerships, Office of Civic Engagement
The University of Chicago Edward H. Levi Hall, Suite 101
5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637 Phone: 773.702.1035
Email: civicleadershipacademy@uchicago.edu
Outstanding Teachers,
Expert Practitioners
Civic Leadership Academy courses are taught by outstanding faculty from five University of Chicago professional schools, as well as expert practitioners from within the nonprofit and government sectors. The Civic Leadership Academy has also featured guest speakers such as Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago Booth’s Austan Goolsbee, and others from the Institute of Politics at the University of Chicago.
A sampling of the faculty and practitioners who have taught Civic Leadership Academy courses:
Heather M. Caruso, Adjunct Associate Professor of Behavioral Science, Chicago Booth
Caruso focuses on human behavior in organizations: the dynamics and social psychology of diverse teams; the management of identity, power, and influence in organizations; and strategies for optimal judgment, decision making, and behavior.
Kerwin Charles, Edwin A. and Betty L. Bergman Distinguished Service Professor and Deputy Dean, Chicago Harris
Charles focuses on questions concerning inequality, labor market discrimination, and the economics of the family.
Robert J. Chaskin, Professor and Deputy Dean for Strategic Initiatives, University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration
Chaskin’s research interests include community organizing and development, associations and nonprofits, and philanthropy and social change.
Harry L. Davis, Roger L. and Rachel M. Goetz Distinguished Service Professor of Creative Management, Chicago Booth
Davis’s teaching and research interests focus on strategy, leadership, and creativity. As an instructor, he is an advocate of experience-based, or laboratory, education.
Daniel Diermeier, Emmett Dedmon Professor of Public Administration and Dean, Chicago Harris
Diermeier is an internationally recognized scholar in political institutions, formal political theory, and the interaction of business and politics, as well as an expert in crisis and reputation management.
Brian Fabes, Chief Executive Officer, Civic Consulting Alliance
Since joining Civic Consulting Alliance in 2005, Fabes has built a leadership team that has forged city-wide collaborations with more than 300 organizations.
Rayid Ghani, Research Director, Computation Institute, and Senior Fellow, Chicago Harris
Ghani is interested in using data and analytics to address high impact, social good problems in such areas as education, health care, energy, transportation, and public safety.
Linda E. Ginzel, Clinical Professor of Managerial Psychology, Chicago Booth
Ginzel specializes in the social psychology of management, executive development, and negotiation skills. Recent interest is focused on what she terms Leadership Capital, the capacity to decide when to manage and when to lead.
Jennifer Mosley, Associate Professor, School of Social Service Administration
Mosley’s interests include the strategy and impact of nonprofit advocacy and lobbying, government-nonprofit relations, civic engagement in underrepresented communities, and social justice philanthropy.
Mark N. Templeton, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic, University of Chicago Law School
Templeton brings perspectives developed from his work in the private sector, senior-level positions in state and federal government, and nonprofits.
Susana Vasquez, Executive Director, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Chicago
Vasquez works to improve neighborhoods throughout metropolitan Chicago, with loans, grants, and technical assistance. She oversees a staff of 15, program budget of $9 million, and loan portfolio of $14 million.
George Wu, John P. and Lillian A. Gould Professor of Behavioral Science, Chicago Booth
Wu studies the psychology of individual, managerial, and organizational decision making; decision analysis; and cognitive biases in bargaining and negotiation. Recent research investigates volunteerism, exploring why people initiate and continue service actvities.
CLA Advisory Council
Co-Chairs
Kerwin Charles, Edwin A. and Betty L. Bergman Distinguished Service Professor and Deputy Dean, Chicago Harris
Derek R. B. Douglas, Vice President for Civic Engagement, The University of Chicago
Members
Dr. Roslind Blasingame-Buford, President, Link Unlimited Scholars
Robert Chaskin, Professor and Deputy Dean for Strategic Initiatives, University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration
Tasha Cruzat, Chief of Staff, Office of Cook Cook Board President Toni Preckwinkle
Steve Edwards, Executive Director, Institute of Politics
Brian Fabes, CEO, Civic Consulting Alliance
Joanie Friedman,Director of Civic
Partnerships, Office of Civic Engage-ment, University of Chicago
Robert H. Gertner, Deputy Dean and Joel F. Gemunder Professor, Chicago Booth
Shelley Stern Grach, Director of Civic Engagement, Microsoft Corp. Chicago
Jeff Leslie, Director of Clinical and Experiential Learning, Clinical Professor of Law, Paul J. Tierney Director of the Housing Initiative, and Faculty Director of Curriculum, University of Chicago Law School
Sonya Malunda, Senior Associate Vice President, Officeof Civic Engagement, University of Chicago
Terry Mazany, President and CEO, The Chicago Community Trust
Jim McDonough, Executive Director, Alphawood Foundation Chicago
Mark R. Nemec, Dean, University of Chicago Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies
Raul Raymundo, CEO, The Resurrection Project
Jesse Ruiz, Partner, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
David Spielfogel, Senior Advisor to the Mayor, City of Chicago
Julia Stasch, President, MacArthur Foundation
Susana Vasquez, Executive Director, LISC Chicago
Eric Weinheimer, CEO, Donors Forum
Kevin Willer, Partner, Chicago Ventures
Kyle T. Williams, Senior Banker, Healthcare, Higher Education, Not-for-Profit
“Collaboration among civic leaders is essential
to advancing new solutions to support a
vibrant, innovative, and dynamic city. The
Civic Leadership Academy at the University
of Chicago is an opportunity for government
and nonprofit leaders to pool their collective
knowledge and advance their leadership
skills while working on projects that will
strengthen communities in Chicago.”
—Mayor Rahm Emanuel
A P P L I C A T I O N C R I T E R I A
Application Checklist
All application materials are available online at cla.uchicago.edu. Supervisor nomination
Two letters of recommendation Two capstone project proposals Completed online application
Capstone Project Proposal
Each applicant will describe two potential projects that are relevant to his or her current organization or municipal department, are within the scope of his or her current job function, and can be addressed within three months. These projects should also provide the applicant with an opportunity to acquire new leadership skills.
Candidates should:
• Be full-time employees of a nonprofit organization, the City of Chicago, or Cook County
• Demonstrate a strong track record of leadership, innovation, and high performance
• Have a minimum of five years of work experience in the civic sector
• Be nominated by their supervisors and provide two additional letters of recommendation
Who should apply?
Job titles for nonprofit candidates could include chief executive officer, chief operating officer, executive director, senior administrator, associate director, deputy director, senior program manager, and regional director.
Job titles for government candidates could include deputy commissioner, assistant commissioner, director, budget director, and chief of staff.
Successful Civic Leadership Academy Fellows are intellectually curious, reflective, ambitious and innovative, open and flexible, and committed to positive change.
