Continuing Studies Leadership Course

Class Session Topics and Speakers

Speakers, topics, and the order of sessions are subject to change without notice.

Other guests will make appearances and will be added to the schedule as they become available.

Leadership Course Description

The course in this program features W&M faculty, alumni, and community leaders who will offer ideas, guide discussions in small group settings, and equip participants with the leadership tools they need to put their ideas into motion. Self-reflections will allow participants to actively consider their role as current or aspiring leaders. Attention to the power of leading in place and in collaboration with others provides alternatives to old constructions of leadership. Participants will leave with concrete takeaway tools, with practice on using these skills provided in the sessions. If you are interested in having a positive impact on your work—come join us!

PLEASE NOTE: This course is non-credit bearing and not part of a W&M degree or Certificate program and no W&M credential will be awarded upon completion. However, participants who successfully complete the course will have a W&M transcript indicating the non-credit course. Please reach out to the course manager, Tyler Wilson, for any questions.

Course Structure 

Each of the ten sessions will begin with an introduction to the topic, with some featuring a guest lecturer. This course is designed for everyone to participate and engage with the content.  Each presentation will be followed by small, facilitated break-out groups. Participants will talk through their personal leadership experiences and make connections to the content being presented. Each session will conclude with a full-class debrief and review of concrete takeaway tools.

Course Benefits

• Each participant will receive a workbook to guide learning and networking throughout the course.
• Participants will engage with high-profile leaders and ask questions in curated small-group settings.
• Participants will network with others in the class and build connections with other values-driven leaders. 
• Participants will explore their personal leadership values, skills, and abilities in a safe setting.
• Participants will receive expert feedback on products created throughout the course's duration.
• Participants will earn a leadership certificate for their resumes.

Course Details

• Duration: 5-weeks
• Mode: Synchronous, online classes
• Platform: through W&M's Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation
• Assignments: Participants will be asked to complete some asynchronous pre-meeting readings so that the synchronous sessions are even more engaging, contribute to discussion boards and reflect on the content through journaling (less than two hours/week total outside of class). 
• Dates: 2023 Dates subject to minor change
  • See above chart for currently schedule dates
• Times: Tuesday & Thursday evenings from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (see FAQs for time zone conflicts)
• Meetings: 10 sessions total, 1.5 hours per session, .5 hours self-directed. *Subject to change
• Requirements: Participants who complete 9/10 modules (although all 10 are encouraged) and associated reflections will earn a certificate of completion from the William & Mary Washington Center.

Expectations and Takeaways

Participants will be expected to:

• spend no more than one hour each week on pre-readings
• spend no more than one hour each week participating in discussion boards and journaling

Participants will leave the course with:

• A personal leadership profile
• A deeper understanding of leadership and their own leadership journey
• A certificate of completion from the William & Mary Washington Center

Registration Fees and Policies

Cancellation Policy: Cancellation requests must be submitted by email to wmdccenter@wm.edu and received by the W&M Washington Center by September 1st at 11:59 p.m. You may receive a full refund for cancellations made by this deadline. Alternatively, you may substitute a non-registered person in your place at any time.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Where will the class take place? Online, through a W&M STLI platform (tutorials will be made available.)
• When is the deadline to register? Participants may register up until 11:59 a.m. on September 4th, the first day of class. 
• What do I need to have in place to participate? Participants will need a computer and stable Internet connection.
• Will I receive credit for this course? This course is non-credit bearing and not part of a W&M degree or Certificate program and no W&M credential will be awarded upon completion. However, participants who successfully complete the course will have a W&M transcript indicating the non-credit course.
• How can I get a copy of my transcript with this course on it? 
  • Once the course is complete, participants who fulfilled the expectations can log in to Banner at my.wm.edu to view/print/save their unofficial transcript at no charge. (credentials provided)
  • An official transcript can be ordered at www.getmytranscript.com for a cost of $7.00, plus a $2.50 processing fee.
• How do I log in to Blackboard and my.wm.edu? Upon registering for the course, you should have received an email with a username and instructions on how to get into both W&M and Learning Platform systems.  Please try to log in prior to the beginning of the first class. 
• Who do I go to for help if I cannot log in?  Please try to log in before the first day of class.  If you run into any issues, you should contact [[ktwilson,Tyler Wilson]], for help. 
• What if I need to miss one of the ten sessions? We understand that participants are working professionals with many competing responsibilities. While all sessions are strongly encouraged, participants are able to miss one class and still earn a certificate.
• I'm interested, but not available on these dates. Will you offer this class again? We certainly hope to make this leadership course a regular opportunity. After this course runs, we'll use data from the experience to plan for future iterations.
• Will there be homework? There is some work involved, but nothing extensive enough to be considered "homework." Participants will not be graded. Some reading and reflection will be required each week and participants will spend the five weeks building a professional development plan and a personalized leadership profile to submit for feedback at the end. 
• For whom is this class designed? This course is designed for anyone interested in leadership.  Current and upcoming leaders alike will find value in the topics and reflections presented. Small group discussions will be determined based on participants' self-disclosed current leadership levels to ensure individual needs are met.
• How big is the class? Class size will not be clear until early September, but there is no cap.  Regardless of the overall size, however, small group discussions and personalized feedback will be included in the format. 
• I’m a current W&M employee and I’d love to take the class.  How do I see if my department/unit will cover the fee? Great! Employees are encouraged to follow their unit or department’s protocols for requesting professional development funds. If you don't already know, just ask your supervisor. 
• I'm in a different time zone so a 6:00 p.m. start time will be impossible for me.  Is there an asynchronous option? All sessions happen synchronously to maximize learning. However, if you are in a different time zone and 6:00-7:30 EST excludes you from participating, please email [[ktwilson,Tyler Wilson]] and we will work to accommodate you. There is a potential option for you to watch the recorded full-class sessions and then participate with others in a small discussion group that better fits your time zone schedule. 
• Will the sessions be recorded? Full class sessions will be recorded and shared with the course participants only. Small group discussions will not be recorded.
• I'd like to participate with a larger group. Is there a discount for a participating team? Working teams or groups of at least 5 people are eligible for special group rates. Please contact [[ktwilson,Tyler Wilson]] for more details.
• I am interested in obtaining CPE for this course for my CPA license. Will the number of hours/CPE be included on the certificate? Yes, the total hours completed will be included on your non-credit transcript.
• Will I earn Continuing Education Units (CEU) for this course? Yes, participants earn 1 CEU for every ten contact hours.  If you attend all ten 1.5-hour sessions and complete the relevant self-guided work, you will earn 2 CEUs.  Upon completion of the course, participants will be given the opportunity to pay $12 and receive a physical CEU certificate for their records. 
• Given the high-profile speakers, will participants need to sign anything? Yes, in an effort to enhance the value of belonging during the course, all participants are asked to agree to some conditions before starting the course.