Investing in NCURA's Future
 

NCURA is now accepting nominations for the 2027 Executive Leadership Program (ELP), a program:

• Designed for members who have demonstrated leadership within NCURA
• Focused on deepening leadership skills and expanding knowledge of NCURA’s mission and governance
• Intended to prepare participants for potential NCURA leadership opportunities, including national board and executive roles
• Fully financially supported by NCURA for a selected cohort of up to eight participants

A cohort of up to 8 NCURA members will embark on a 5-month leadership development journey between January and May. The ELP is conducted in a virtual environment with a facilitator and various guest speakers, and culminates with a 4-day in-person retreat led by several nationally recognized leadership educators. 

The ELP is fully financially supported, including all virtual experiences and all expenses for the in-person retreat. There is no out of pocket cost for our participants. NCURA’s Board of Directors believes the ELP is an investment in our future.

NCURA seeks nominees who have a proven NCURA leadership track record. While general volunteerism will be part of the review, nominees should also have contributed to NCURA by serving in leadership roles.Strong applicants will have engaged in NCURA at both the regional and national levels, as well as at their home institution. Leadership activities might include, but are not limited to, serving as a co-chair of a national/regional meeting or as a track chair/co-chair; serving on a standing or select committee at the national/regional level; leading a specially convened work group, serving in various elected and appointed roles within NCURA, etc.

To nominate someone for the ELP, please submit a single nomination packet comprising all the below by October 6, 2026 to nominations@ncura.edu.  Each item below is limited to 2 pages.

1. Letter of nomination OR letter of support (if self-nominating) addressing the nominee’s leadership roles held at NCURA and their leadership trajectory. Letters from nominators with a history of NCURA leadership will be given additional consideration.
2. Institutional letter of commitment from nominee's employer detailing the nominee's leadership at the institution and discussing future leadership potential. The letter must also commit to providing release time to enable the nominee to fully participate in the program, including the 4-day in-person ELP retreat.
3. Personal commitment statement from the nominee describing how they will use what they learn in the ELP to support their longer term leadership goals and specifically addressing their leadership trajectory or path within NCURA. These statements must also commit to engaging in the NCURA Leadership Exchange Community for one year after completing ELP.
4. Nominee’s NCURA-specific CV or resume, including the year they joined NCURA

Nomination packages are invited from NCURA members for nominees who are current regular members in good standing. Self-nominations will be accepted, and must include a letter of support as described above. The ELP program is designed for a small group to ensure adequate opportunity for discussion and in-depth engagement by participants. The cohort will therefore be limited to a maximum of 8 participants.

All ELP applications should be sent to nominations@ncura.edu by the deadline of October 6, 2026.

Questions? Contact N&LDC Chair, Csilla Csaplár or N&LDC Vice Chair, David Smelser