What skills will I build in this program?
What is the Ignite Louisville experience like?
What companies does the Leadership Louisville Center work with to make Ignite Louisville possible?
What can I expect to take away from Ignite Louisville?
What is the Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge?
Who should apply for Ignite Louisville?
What are the time commitments involved?
How many people are invited to participate each year?
I’m interested, but I don’t know if my employer will support me. What should I do?
How do I submit an application?
What can I do to strengthen my application?
What happens after my application is submitted?
What is Ignite Louisville?
Ignite Louisville is a seven-month program that cultivates young professionals by developing key components of leadership – competencies, networking, community understanding and engagement. Sponsored by Norton Healthcare, the program provides emerging business leaders with the skills, confidence, problem-solving abilities and high-profile connections essential to professional success and to help them achieve their personal leadership goals.
What skills will I build in this program?
Ignite Louisville partners with many of the region’s top corporations to provide leadership training from their executive teams and internal universities. Program participants learn best practices for building capability, realizing potential and driving breakthrough results; leveraging competencies; managing their personal brand; and effectively mitigating change within an organization. Through the Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge, the service-learning part of the program, participants gain insight into the inner-workings of nonprofit organizations and hands-on experience in community leadership, board involvement and teamwork.
What is the Ignite Louisville experience like?
The Ignite Louisville program year begins with a mandatory overnight opening retreat in October and concludes with graduation in April. During the program year, the class meets one day per month at varying locations in the Louisville community. During these program days, participants learn best practices from top local corporations and connect with key leaders and decision-makers in the community. At each program day, participants also have the opportunity to work in teams for the Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge. Participants are also invited to exclusive Northwestern Mutual Networking Series events that enhance networking skills and widen professional networks.
What companies does the Leadership Louisville Center work with to make Ignite Louisville possible?
Ignite Louisville is sponsored by:
- Norton Healthcare, presenting sponsor
- Yum! Brands Inc., sponsor of the Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge
- Northwestern Mutual, sponsor of the Ignite Louisville social networking series and “Image of a Leader” dinner enhancement
Ignite Louisville program days are developed in partnership with local corporations including Norton Healthcare, Brown-Forman Corporation, Yum! Brands Inc., Northwestern Mutual, Ft. Knox and UPS.
What can I expect to take away from Ignite Louisville?
Participants enjoy unforgettable experiences and relationships that pay dividends personally and professionally, and public recognition as young professionals with hands-on leadership training. The connections made with classmates, interaction with top community leaders, experience with nonprofit corporations and realization of leadership potential adds value to this program both before and for many years following graduation.
Ignite Louisville helps our region’s top young professionals gain enhanced visibility in the community, increase their value and maintain a competitive advantage for their organizations, get hands-on leadership experience in the Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge and build credentials as a person with demonstrated ability to serve on civic boards and committees.
What is the Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge?
The Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge is the service learning component of the Ignite Louisville program. Ignite Louisville participants are placed in teams and choose a project from among the many submitted by local nonprofit agencies. They are challenged to combine their Ignite Louisville learnings with their professional expertise to implement solutions for their partner agency. The results are lasting, impactful and impressive. Learn more about the Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge.
Since the inception of the Challenge in 2004, Louisville’s brightest young professionals have worked with more than 60 nonprofit organizations.
Who should apply for Ignite Louisville?
Next generation leaders from all fields should apply. Applicants are typically between the ages of 25-40, with many participants in their early to mid 30s, but leaders both above and below this median are welcome to apply. Your place in your career and whether you would benefit from the teachings of the program are more critical factors than your age.
What are the time commitments involved?
Participation in the Ignite Louisville program requires a commitment to attend each of the monthly sessions, October through April, in their entirety. Click here to review the dates. The opening retreat will run from the morning of Thursday, October 17 until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 18th and it is required that you are present for the entire two day event. Missing any part of the opening retreat will disqualify you from the program. Program days from November through April begin at 8:00 a.m. and conclude by 5:00 p.m. Missing more than one program day (or equivalent hours) could result in dismissal from the program
A major component of the program is the Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge, which is a small group community service project that puts my leadership learnings into practice. This project will require time outside of program days, and it is mandatory that each participant is actively engaged with his or her project. Learn more about the Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge.
To commit to the Ignite Louisville program and the Yum! IGNITES Louisville Challenge will require support from your employer, family and other obligations. The program is only successful when all participants are committed to its completion.
What is the cost?
Ignite Louisville program tuition is $3,800, which includes overnight retreat lodging (double occupancy), meals and materials.
Are scholarships available?
Scholarships are available based on need. The scholarship application is part of the program application. Be prepared to state the amount of scholarship requested and the reason you need a scholarship. Please note that the Leadership Louisville Center does not award full scholarships and at this time, the typical scholarship award does not exceed one half ($1,900) of the program tuition.
Scholarship requests are considered only after the class selection process is complete and will in no way impact consideration of your Ignite Louisville application.
How many people are invited to participate each year?
Typical class size for Ignite Louisville is approximately 50-55 participants.
I’m interested, but I don’t know if my employer will support me. What should I do?
Organizations benefit from your participation for many reasons, including employing better, stronger leaders, receiving local recognition as an organization dedicated to professional development in our community and gaining valuable business connections with the region’s top corporations. Click here for more reasons why your organization benefits.
Let the Leadership Louisville Center make the case for your participation in the class! Employers can contact Jennifer Stevens at 502-561-5231 to learn how valuable Ignite Louisville can be for your organization.
How do I submit an application?
Ignite Louisville is a highly regarded program in the community, and the application process is extremely competitive. It often takes multiple years to be accepted into Ignite Louisville. There is no fee to apply for the program.
Applications for the Ignite Louisville Class of 2014 will be open June 3 through July 26, 2013 at 11:59 p.m.
A link to the application will be available at http://www.leadershiplouisville.org/ignite-louisville/ on June 3. Other helpful information on how and when to apply is also available on this page.
A completed Ignite Louisville application consists of several components:
- Two letters of recommendations submitted via an online recommendation form, which will also be available on the Ignite Louisville page of the Leadership Louisville Center’s website.
- Completed online application form.
- Photograph suitable for print and online use, which can be submitted through the application form or emailed to info@leadershiplouisville.org.
- A completed Supervisor Commitment form.
Applications are not considered complete until these documents are submitted.
What can I do to strengthen my application?
Participating in Focus Louisville can strengthen your application. Focus Louisville is a 2 1/2 day activity-filled program that offers everyone from newcomers to native Louisvillians a fascinating “insider’s” look at our community. It’s all designed to give attendees a more complete view and understanding of Louisville along with a better sense of how to put leadership into action.
What happens after my application is submitted?
Once you have submitted your application form and all other components, your application will be considered complete. A Leadership Louisville Center Selection Committee will determine who will be invited to join the class. In early September, you will be notified by letter if you are invited to join the class.