Leadership Westmoreland
Building Leaders in our Communities
by Karen Fetter
For those
interested in
becoming more involved in their community, or
whose jobs and volunteerism already have an
impact on Westmoreland County, Leadership
Westmoreland is an excellent choice. This
10-session course introduces participants to a
variety of aspects of life within the
Westmoreland County community. Each session is
lead by a panel of experts whose real life
experience adds a depth of understanding to the
course.
Upon graduation, participants are ready to give
back to their communities by becoming more
actively involved in local affairs and
knowledgeable concerning civic duties.
Leadership Westmoreland is co-sponsored by the
Latrobe Chamber of Commerce, the Westmoreland
Chamber of Commerce, the Norwin Chamber of
Commerce, the Ligonier Valley Chamber of
Commerce, and the Laurel Highland Chamber of
Commerce. The sessions begin in September and go
through June with one session per month. The
first session is a full-day retreat that works
on team building and self-understanding.
The following sessions are half-day morning
sessions that discuss topics such as government,
economic development, justice system, media,
education, business, and quality of life. The
course concludes with a graduation and overview.
“Leadership works behind the scenes to benefit
the community,” said Andy Stofan, President of
the Latrobe Area Chamber of Commerce. “Those who
want to contribute are the type of person we try
to help succeed.”
In addition to classes, another aspect of the
program is a small group project. These projects
are based on proposals made by area non-profit
organizations such as the Red Cross, YWCA, and
the Loyalhanna Watershed, to name a few. These
organizations submit proposals for projects with
which they could use help and Leadership
participants perform the course work outside of
class to accomplish the project at hand.
In addition, one session each year is a full-day
bus tour of the 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.
According to Andy, the course has been
remarkable for those who have enrolled. Many
participants go on to continue relationships
with those who have taught the course or those
who have attended with them. Andy has seen
Leadership grads become actively involved in the
community and serve on boards and even
participate in local government.
Leadership Westmoreland started in 1998 when two
leadership organizations combined – Latrobe Area
Leadership and Impact Westmoreland Leadership.
They realized that they were both using the same
resources and felt their efforts would be
stronger if they worked together. So rather than
it being the 10th year for Leadership
Westmoreland, it is actually the 21st year when
you consider the program’s historical roots.
The overall mission of Leadership Westmoreland
is to cultivate new and vibrant people that can
share the responsibilities of the community.
Often in community work, many of the same faces
appear on several different committees and
organizations. It is better for the community
when more than the same few people are trained
to take on these roles. Whether it is the PTA,
youth sports, BPW, or the Rotary, it is
imperative that new faces appear to offer the
benefit of their experience and knowledge in a
variety of ways.
The program benefits the community by creating
leaders who can possess a vision for the future,
approach problem-solving with fresh solutions,
and be able to network with other leaders.
Leadership Westmoreland strengthens its
participants’ self-awareness and sense of
personal vision and power. It enhances their
leadership and problem solving skills, as well
as their awareness of community issues and
challenges. Graduates take with them a greater
understanding of public policy and regional and
global trends. Lastly employers who enroll their
employees in the program benefit as well. New
skills enable employees to better anticipate
problems and generate solutions, creatively and
productively use resources, see
interrelationships and processes for change, and
develop an understanding of teamwork.
The cost of the course is $895 per person. Many
who attend have the course underwritten by a
business or by their employer. There are
scholarship funds available but the amounts are
very limited.
Become a
Leader in Your Community
Andy Stofan, Latrobe Chamber of Commerce
724-537-2671
www.LeadershipWestmoreland.com