Emerging Leaders FAQs
Who are ASCD emerging leaders?
Emerging leaders are educators who
- Have been in the profession approximately 5–15 years;
- Demonstrate a passion for teaching, learning, and leadership;
- Collectively exhibit a broad range of diversity in position, location, cultural background, and perspective
- Hold promise as leaders; and
- Are committed to ASCD's beliefs and to pursuing leadership opportunities.
All emerging leaders establish an understanding of ASCD's mission and goals, attend the ASCD Leader to Leader (L2L) Conference, connect with experienced ASCD leaders, and engage in a two-year program of activities.
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Is there an age limit for Emerging Leaders program participants?
There is no age limit for Emerging Leaders program participants. However, since the program is targeted at educators who have been in the profession for 5–15 years and are just beginning to pursue leadership opportunities within ASCD and the field of education, most ASCD emerging leaders tend to be under the age of 40. We ask for a date of birth on the online application to help ensure that each class of emerging leaders comprises a diverse group of individuals.
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How do I nominate someone for the Emerging Leaders program?
Nominations for the Emerging Leaders program are open year-round. Self-nominations are accepted. To nominate yourself or a colleague for the Emerging Leaders program, please forward the nominee's name and e-mail address to Constituent Services. Nominees will be notified via e-mail when the online application is available each spring.
There is no limit to the number of nominations an individual can submit. If an individual is nominated several times in a single selection cycle, it will not affect the application process.
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How do I apply for the Emerging Leaders program?
The Emerging Leaders online application is open from February 1 to April 1 each year. The application period will open again on February 1, 2014.
If the application period is not open, you may nominate yourself or a colleague for the program at any time by sending the nominee's name and e-mail address to Constituent Services. The nominee will be notified via e-mail when the online application is available. If an individual is nominated several times in a single selection cycle, it will not affect the application process.
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What are the components of the Emerging Leaders application?
The ASCD Emerging Leaders program application is an online form, and it is recommended that you fill it out in one sitting. Please allow at least 30 minutes to complete the application. To prepare to fill out the application, either print out the application (PDF) or please have the following information ready before accessing the online form:
Contact Information
- First and last name
- E-mail address
- Work phone number
- Employer name and work address
- Name and e-mail address of nominator or a reference
- Your relationship to nominator or reference
Demographic Information
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Ethnic background
- Years in the education field
- Current role in education
- Type of community served
- How you heard about the Emerging Leaders program
About You
- Employment history
- Past and current professional affiliations
- Awards and accomplishments
- Describe social media presence
- Short essay questions (200 words or fewer per question):
- Please describe a way you demonstrate leadership that engages other educators in the education field. Examples may involve your professional work setting, ASCD-related events, or other organizations.
- ASCD Emerging Leaders are encouraged to follow a leadership path that most aligns with their interests. Leadership paths fall into several categories: ASCD Programs and Leadership, Policy, Professional Development, Whole Child, and Writing for ASCD. Please select two leadership pathways that appeal to you and describe why you're interested in them.
- As an Emerging Leader, how do you see yourself contributing to the advancement of ASCD's mission?
- What education issue is most important to you?
- What is one interesting thing about you?
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How are emerging leaders selected?
Anyone can nominate candidates for the Emerging Leaders program. Self-nominations are welcome. Candidates are then invited to complete an application during the months of February and March.
Completed applications are scored by a selection panel trained to use a rubric focused on the program goals. The selection panel is composed of ASCD staff and external reviewers who currently hold leadership positions within the organization. All panelists participate in a teleconference to select the finalists. Finalists are forwarded to the executive director for approval.
Each new class of emerging leaders is announced in May.
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How many emerging leaders are accepted to the program each year?
The selection committee will accept all applicants who are a good fit for the program. Successful applicants will articulate all or most of the following components in their application: 5–15 years in education; a willingness to engaged with ASCD; demonstrated effectiveness, drive, vision, and passion for the profession; an alignment with ASCD mission and vision; and a commitment to pursuing leadership opportunities. As a group, each class of emerging leaders demonstrates diversity of perspective, role, experience, location, and demographics.
How does the Emerging Leaders Program work?
Once the new class of emerging leaders has been selected, ASCD makes an announcement welcoming the new class to the ASCD community. Emerging leaders are given a press release template to aid in communicating this achievement at the local level.
Emerging leaders will be invited to attend an online orientation session, which covers the expectations for program participants as well as tips for maximizing the program experience. The orientation session will be recorded and archived for those who are unable to attend the live session.
Emerging leaders are then asked to complete an interest inventory, which will help ASCD staff distribute targeted resources and information to program participants. Depending on emerging leaders' interests, they may be matched with an emerging leader coach or ASCD liaison.
Once matched with a coach or liaison, emerging leaders may choose to craft an action plan outlining what they would like to accomplish over the course of the emerging leader program. With support from ASCD and a coach or liaison, each emerging leader is expected to create and pursue unique leadership pathways at ASCD.
Throughout the program, emerging leaders will
At the conclusion of the program, emerging leaders receive a certificate of completion and a letter of congratulations from ASCD. Emerging Leaders alumni are encouraged to remain involved with ASCD and continue their leadership and influence through formal and informal leadership roles.
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What are the benefits and expectations for emerging leaders?
Benefits
Emerging leaders receive
Expectations
Emerging leaders are expected to (optional activities listed in italics)
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What sort of exclusive opportunities will I have as an emerging leader?
Many of the exclusive opportunities ASCD offers to emerging leaders depend on a number of factors and are always changing. Here are a few of the opportunities ASCD has arranged for emerging leaders in the past:
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2012 emerging leader Jessica Bohn wrote an ASCD Express article, "Setting a Common Course," which shares tips to help others be instructional leaders in Common Core standards implementation.
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Bryan O'Black of the 2011 Emerging Leaders class was invited to write a column for EdTech Digest titled “Cultivating a Tech Integration Plan: 5 Simple Steps.”
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2012 emerging leader Jessica Bohn wrote her first Whole Child Blog post, "Engaging the Whole Community to Support Positive Bus Behavior."
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2012 emerging leader Michael DiCaprio wrote an article for ASCD's Core Connection newsletter titled "The Building Leader and the Common Core."
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Several ASCD emerging leaders wrote blog posts for ASCD Inservice, including Hannah Gbenro, Doug Paulson, Daina Lieberman, Krista Rundell, Victoria Ayam, and Robert Zywicki.
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2012 emerging leader Erica Ringelspaugh is blogging for Wisconsin ASCD. Check out her blog, What Erica Knows.
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What grant funds are available to emerging leaders?
Since 2005, the ASCD Emerging Leaders program has been developing the future leaders of the organization. Throughout their two year involvement in the program, emerging leaders have pursued leadership paths as unique and diverse as the leaders themselves. The goal of the Emerging Leaders Grant Program is to expand those leadership paths in a way that directly benefits students and the education profession. By awarding grants of up to $2,000 to selected emerging leaders, this opportunity is designed to support innovative approaches to whole child education and help emerging leaders grow professionally and gather information that may help improve the way other educators learn, teach, and lead.
Emerging Leaders Grant Proposal Process
ASCD will accept grant proposals via electronic application between June 1 and August 1, 2014. Applicants will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of the proposal submission. Applicants may submit up to three proposals, but no more than one will be accepted per individual. Once the deadline has passed, a committee of ASCD stakeholders will review and rate the submitted grant proposals. Upon review and evaluation, the committee will grant up to $2,000 per proposal to support implementation of the project. Successful proposals will effectively describe
- An innovate whole child approach to education.
- Clear, measurable benefits for students.
- An achievable implementation process.
- Collaboration with other ASCD constituent groups or organizations (if applicable).
During the grant review and rating process, the committee may ask applicants for additional detail on the proposal before making a final decision. In some cases, a proposal may be funded at a lower level (i.e., $2,000 proposed and $1,500 granted). Grant funds will be issued by October 15. Grantees will be asked to submit a midyear report in January. At the conclusion of the school year, grant fund recipients will present an ASCD webinar to share their successes or lessons learned from the proposal implementation process.
Working with Other Groups
ASCD emerging leaders are encouraged to collaborate with others in the ASCD community or the greater education community to implement proposed activities. Although working with other groups is not required to receive a grant, ASCD recognizes that engagement with other leaders and organizations may help ensure a proposal's success.
Eligibility
Emerging leaders in their second year of the program are eligible to apply for grant funding.
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What is an emerging leader coach?
Depending on emerging leaders' interests, they may be assigned an emerging leader coach. An emerging leader coach creates a personal mentoring relationship with the emerging leader.
An emerging leader coach has been involved with ASCD for two or more years, shares ASCD's mission and beliefs, exhibits leadership in the education profession, currently serves or has served in a leadership position, may have been requested by an emerging leader, and may have indicated an interest in serving as an emerging leader coach.
Emerging leader coaches are expected to
- Commit to a minimum of one year in the program.
- View a web-based tutorial session for emerging leader coaches.
- Work with their assigned emerging leader to draft their leadership plan.
- Communicate regularly with the emerging leader either in person or via text, video chat, or other online methods.
- Join the ASCD EDge social networking platform.
- Join the Young Professional Leaders group on the ASCD EDge social networking platform.
- Become an ASCD Educator Advocate.
- Follow the hashtag #ASCDL2L on Twitter.
Emerging leader coaches are strongly encouraged to attend the Leader to Leader Conference, the Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy, and the ASCD Annual Conference.
An emerging leader may request a different coach at any point of the program by e-mailing Constituent Services.
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What leadership pathways are available to emerging leaders?
Even though ASCD emerging leaders are encouraged to follow the leadership path that most aligns with their interests, leadership pathways fall into five general categories:
- ASCD Programs and Leadership
- Policy
- Professional Development
- Whole Child
- Writing for ASCD
Examples of each leadership pathway are listed below. Learning and leadership action plans may combine several pathways or focus on a single pathway. Please note that some of the opportunities listed below may depend on a separate application or approval process to participate. Although emerging leaders have access to guidance and support from emerging leader coaches, liaisons, and staff, the success of each endeavor cannot be guaranteed.
ASCD Programs and Leadership
Policy
Professional Development
- Facilitating or assisting with ASCD professional development opportunities.
- Presenting at ASCD's Annual Conference.
- Presenting at other ASCD events.
- Piloting or evaluating ASCD products.
- Participating in or presenting a web seminar.
Whole Child
Writing for ASCD
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How does the program help emerging leaders grow?
The Emerging Leaders program is designed to prepare diverse educators for leadership roles in ASCD and its constituent groups. By the conclusion of their participation in the program, ASCD emerging leaders will have at a minimum
- Developed an understanding to advance ASCD’s positions and values.
- Participated in shaping education policy and advocating for the whole child.
- Explored multiple ASCD leadership pathways through formal and informal roles.
- Encouraged others to get involved in ASCD.
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How do emerging leaders complete the program?
Emerging leaders must apply to complete the program. Successful applicants will have met the minimum expectations of the program and demonstrated a willingness to engage with ASCD throughout the program's course. Emerging leaders who successfully complete the program will receive a certificate of completion and a letter from ASCD's Executive Director.
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