A Program for Emerging Leaders
The Contemplative Leaders in Action (CLA) Alumni Leadership Program nurtures young, faith-centered, emerging leaders so that they can impact society and culture. This two-year cohort experience for Jesuit-educated alumni, who currently reside in the Puget Sound region, includes retreats, monthly interactive sessions, study and discussion, prayer, lecture (speaker series), and service and justice opportunities.
By providing both spiritual formation and secular leadership training, the CLA program is unique and intentionally goes where other leadership or spirituality programs for young adults have not. It is our hope that participants will:
- build a network of peers in various occupations
- develop relationships with senior professionals in various fields
- learn Jesuit/Ignatian techniques for making good decisions and for praying
- polish their communication and leadership skills
- reflect on their strengths, growth areas, and role in the world
- discuss the current state of our world and discern where and how they want to lead
CLA cohorts currently operate in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Syracuse, NY and are run by the Jesuit Collaborative. The 2011-2013 Magis CLA program is the first cohort on the West Coast and the first cohort sponsored by a Jesuit university! Magis is currently recruiting for its second CLA cohort.
Listen to an America Magazine podcast by Daniel Hendrickson, SJ, chaplain to the CLA program in New York. His podcast about CLA is called Forming Faith Leaders.
Still have questions? Click here for answers to frequently asked questions.
Meet Our 2013-2015 Magis CLA Cohort
Cohort Members and Jesuit Connections
- Megan Arbuckle, JVI
- Elizabeth Benki, Loyola New Orleans, JVC
- Kara Casey-Adams, Seattle University
- Sheila Collins, Gonzaga JVC
- Emily Comerford, Gonzaga in Florence
- Brandi Crawford-Gallagher, Gonzaga and Boston College
- Melissa Deutsch, Seattle University
- Nicholas Ford, Boston College
- Jim Freeburg, Santa Clara University
- Greg Forkins, Boston College and JVC
- Joe Gardner, Seattle University and Gonzaga University
- Patrick Green, Santa Clara University
- Bethann Gurrad, Gonzaga University and Marquette University
- Danica Hendrickson, Seattle University
- Kelly Hickman, Boston College and Seattle University
- Jean Higgins, Gonzaga University
- Katie Kaiser, Georgetown University
- Alex Kitchen, JVC
- Bernard Koontz, Seattle University and Boston College
- Caitlin Lanigan, Holy Cross and JVC
- Rebecca Mauldin, Gonzaga University
- Alycia McKenzie, Gonzaga University and Seattle University
- Kristen Morgan, Seattle University
- Tri Nguyen, Seattle University
- Stephanie Orrico, Boston College
- Logan Reichert, Gonzaga University
- Darby Riley, Seattle University
- Mike Schloss, Regis University and Seattle University
- Brittany Stevens, Gonzaga University
- Angeline Thomas, Seattle University
- Byrony Treser, JVC
- Dave Uhl, Gonzaga University and JVC
See complete biographies of our 2013-2015 cohort listed above.
Magis CLA Staff
- Brooke Rufo Hill, Magis Director
- Fr. Mike Bayard, SJ, Director of Campus Ministry and CLA Chaplain
- Katie Steele, CLA Program Manager
CLA Year 1 Schedule
September 18, 2012
Initial *Social Justice Project Pitches
September 29, 2012
Year 2 Opening Retreat
Facilitated by Bill Weis, Hartley McGrath, and Tom Norwood focusing on Emotional Intelligence and Peer Coaching
October 16, 2012
Social Justice Project Formal Proposals
November 13, 2012
Leading from Where you Are with Sharon Daloz Parks
December 11, 2012
Faith Sharing and Faith-Centered Leadership & [Social Justice Project Check-ins]
January 15, 2013
More on Peer Coaching with Bill Weis and Tom Norwood [& Social Justice Project Check-ins]
February 19, 2013
Service and Justice [& Social Justice Project Check-ins]
February 25, 2013
Chris Lowney Talk (on "Heroic Leadership")
March 19, 2013
Heroic and Ignatian Leadership [& Social Justice Project Check-ins]
April 16, 2013
Social Justice Project Final Presentations
Cohort members invite family, friends, community partners, and CLA Advisory Team
May 8, 2013
Be Ignited: Summit on Ignatian Leadership
May 21, 2013
Panel of Faith-Centered Leaders and Servant Leadership
May 31- June 2, 2013
Mission and Commissioning Closing Retreat
For a complete Year 1 schedule, please click here .
*Social Justice Projects
The second year of the CLA cohort experience is centered around a significant group project, which invites participants to apply and reflect upon many of the learnings from CLA Year 1. The project is adapted from Seattle University’s Executive Leadership Program (ELP) practicum “Leadership for a Just and Humane World.” Working in small groups, participants have the opportunity to lead a project, in partnership with those whom they hope to serve, that addresses a social injustice. The project has four objectives:
- It serves as a learning partnership, in which participants will more clearly experience and become aware of the effects of personal skills in leadership and teamwork.
- It makes a significant and sustainable contribution to the community.
- It deepens participants' understanding and lived experience of the intimate link between faith and justice.
- The process of learning about, building relationships with and serving a population different from oneself, and working with service providers, will cause reflection on one's own values. This helps clarify the role participants wish to play in the community beyond the CLA program.
For a complete Social Justice Project description, please click here.