Leadership Lafayette Celebrates 40 Years!

Leadership Lafayette was incorporated with the State of Indiana on June 11, 1982, making Class 52 their 40th program year's cohort. Hands down, exit surveys confirm their February's poverty simulation continues to be the most eye opening and impactful activity, giving participants a glimpse into the challenges that individuals living at 250% poverty level encounter on a daily basis.

Twenty-one Community Leadership Program Alumni volunteered to serve as agencies in our 2023 simulation held at Junior Achievement's BizTown. Thanks to an amazing team building recommendation from Class 50 graduate, Ryan Gerkey, 8 teams from Class 52 participated in a monthlong Nonprofit Organization Scavenger Hunt utilizing the GooseChase App to learn more about area health and human service agencies where participants and their families can get involved and give of their time, talents, and resources.

This year's competition was so fierce that the top two teams had to battle it off on the dance floor to claim the top prize of Golden Goose Award Winners. Class 52's experience culminated with their Capstone Project: Leadership Lafayette Volunteer Expo. Sixty-four nonprofit organization exhibitors gathered on May 11, 2023, at Lafayette's River City Community Center where more than 300 community members attended to learn more about how people can become involved in servant leadership and volunteerism in Greater Lafayette Indiana.

Their Graduation Celebration at the Lafayette Theater on May 18, 2023, celebrated Leadership Lafayette's 57 most recent graduates, joining more than 1700 Program Alumni over the last 40 years!

Learn more about Leadership Lafayette, IN

Submitted by: Kitty Campbell, Executive Director