Program Structure & Sessions

NHLI's program is of high quality, innovative and substantive. As such, it looks to recruit participants who are diverse, talented and accomplished. It complements and builds upon other training programs by integrating personal growth with formal courses of study. The dynamic curriculum allows participants to put their talents into action through emphasis on personal strengths and management of personal weaknesses.Participants are taught to reflect on themselves so that they may look ahead with renewed and expanded perspectives. By examining how as Hispanics and women they have historically looked at community issues, they prepare to reach out and build bridges with other groups of society.

NHLI has developed a four-week intensive leadership training program which spans nine months and is implemented in four different cities in the United States.

WEEK I: Creating a National Network: The Power of Community and Support
San Juan Bautista, California. (February/March)
Sessions focus on cross cultural communication, conflict resolution, the development of support networks and race, class and gender issues.

WEEK II: Effective Change Through Public Policy and Management
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. (April)
The case study method gives participants an overview of public management, skills in strategic management and "public value."

WEEK III: Leadership Assessment and Development:
Center for Creative Leadership Institute (CCL) North Carolina,
California or Colorado (March-August)
The Leadership Development Program at CCL combines lectures, group exercises, assessment questionnaires and individual feedback sessions to provide participants with information about their leadership, behavioral and decision-making styles.

WEEK IV: "Impacting Decisionmakers and National Policy," Washington, D.C. (September)
Sessions explore the national political agenda and policy development, the legislative process and meetings with Congressional representatives and national leaders.

PROGRAM COST
The program tuition for participants is $3,500 plus all travel costs for each program segment and lodging expenses at CCL. Corporate employees pay $12,500. The actual cost of the program is approximately $6,000 per week of training for a total cost of about $25,000 for the four weeks of training; however, foundation and corporate grants enable the Institute to offer the program to participants for much less. Tuition can be paid by the participant, employer, sponsor or through local fundraising. The Institute provides partial scholarships (up to one-third of the tuition fee) for women with demonstrated financial need. Applicants will not be turned away because of financial needs.