Extension Center for Community Vitality 467 Coffey Hall 1420 Eckles Avenue St. Paul, MN 55108-6068 (612) 625-7779 direct (612) 624-2811 office (612) 327-4242 cell (612) 625-1955 fax www.extension.umn.edu/community Enhancing Minnesota's social, economic, civic and technological capacity February 3, 2010

Dear Dr. Perkins, The Center for Community Vitality has an exciting opportunity for someone committed to community leadership development (http://www.extension.umn.edu/Community/). We are seeking a Community Leadership Development Specialist to join a vibrant, dynamic team. This is a 12-month, 100% FTE appointment in the professional and academic classification and requires a doctorate. Review of applications will begin on February 15, 2010.

Because you are a leader in the field, I am asking for your help. The strength of the field of community leadership comes from its interdisciplinary nature, which can make recruitment more complex. For us to be successful, we are asking you to circulate this opportunity widely and broadly through all your professional networks - to colleagues, former graduate students, students about to complete their doctorates, association job posting sites, Facebook, Twitter. To see the formal job description and to apply, use this link: https://employment.umn.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=84732

The new Community Leadership Development Specialist will join a team of ten full-time leadership and civic engagement educators located throughout Minnesota. Within the Center for Community Vitality, they will have access to our staff and graduate students in evaluation and research, led by Dr. Scott Chazdon (http://www.extension.umn.edu/Community/research.html). In addition, they will be part of a network of faculty and professional staff at the University of Minnesota convened through our Center for Integrative Leadership (http://www.leadership.umn.edu/). It's truly an exciting time for community leadership throughout the University of Minnesota and at University of Minnesota Extension. Our programs are in high demand and show proven results for participants and their communities.

The successful candidate is experienced in community leadership development education and will have completed (or have completed by date of appointment) a doctorate in a related-field (e.g., leadership, community psychology, community development, sociology, political science, or other related-field). Contributing broadly to applied research in individual leadership development, community-building initiatives and community development, they would have likely teaching and research opportunities within the University in subsequent years. Their experience in program design, delivery and evaluation contributes to the on-going development of our community leadership development program and agenda; maintaining a current tie with evolving literature and needs of Minnesota's communities; and, contributing to new programs and initiatives.

Our flagship leadership development program is called U-Lead (http://www.extension.umn.edu/u-lead/). U-Lead provides well-respected and sought after workshops and cohort-based leadership development and education. Extension has a well-earned reputation for leadership development education, especially its cohort model, where up to 30 participants have a common leadership development experience. The team of ten full-time leadership and civic engagement educators works with a large number of cohort groups annually (N = 17, in 2008). In the past few years, we have developed a cadre of over 1,700 cohort participants. The team has blended distance education technology with typical workshops and showed similar outcomes. The implications for further modification of this approach need further exploration.

Partnering organizations provide funding and logistical support for the cohort. Thus, the specialist and educators can focus on the educational issues, applied scholarship and program delivery. Academic partnerships at the University have been developed with the Center for Integrative Leadership, Humphrey Institute, Center for the Study of the Individual and Society and the Carlson School of Management.

The underlying logic model calls for wide-ranging, interdisciplinary scholarship and literature to create a meta-framework for leadership development. This approach assures evidence-based practice while allowing cohorts to focus on the specific issues of concern to the sponsor. This also allows for a common evaluation design to be employed across all cohorts.

The successful candidate will engender continued success in (1) achieving impacts for communities in MN; (2) advancing research opportunities in our work; (3) developing curricular materials; (4) staff and professional development of educators; (5) support for applied scholarship by educators; (6) maintaining and deepening partnerships inside and outside the University; and (7) defining and implementing an educational model for community-building initiatives within LCE and other program areas.

We all know the power of networks. I am convinced that through your networks, we can develop a strong applicant pool and find the person who matches this opportunity.

If you or others are interested in applying or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Dick Senese, PhD, LP Associate Dean  612-625-7779