By Joey McWilliams
DURANT – Leadership Durant, an educational opportunity working under the auspices of the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce, is finalizing its class roster for the upcoming year and applications are due to the Chamber by Thursday, June 14.
News presented by First United Bank.
The class is for professionals who desire to learn more about their community and develop or further enhance their leadership skills.
Janet Reed, Executive Director of the Chamber, talked about the program, which is heading into its 14th year, as being more than just business-oriented.
“Each class is a different class – they have a different personality,” Reed said. What they gain from the class, though, as a class is basically professionals who are together who learn about their community.
“And this is based on a community-leadership program. Not a business-leadership program, but community leadership.”
The Leadership Durant class begins each July with a reception and is completed in June with graduation. The class meets for one day each month with the exception of December.
Reed said the curriculum includes learning and experiencing the community with days that feature team building, health care, economic development, local government, state government, education, the media, and Downtown Durant, which was added just this year to the curriculum.
“There are just many things and many different opportunities that they will get through this class that otherwise they would not be able to do,” Reed said. “We tour several different companies, including our school systems, the Choctaw Nation, the local hospital, there are many different aspects that we do as a groups that individuals would not be able to do.”
She said those who complete the training learn more about the heartbeat of the community itself.
“As they leave this class, I know they are leaving with a much better understanding of the community. They also do a lot of volunteering through here.
“So it’s a program that is set on curriculum values, but it reaches beyond the values of just that. I like to say it touches the heart of our city in many different ways.”
Applications for 2018-2019 Leadership Durant are available at the Durant Area Chamber of Commerce located at 215 N 4th Avenue or online at www.durantchamber.org. Applications are due June 14, 2018.