Leadership in the City

Leadership in the City
Professional Development Program

Leadership in the City is a professional development program for Extension professionals working in urban areas who aim to be locally relevant, responsive statewide, and recognized nationally. The online curriculum builds upon existing leadership experiences, management training, and Extension professional development. Leadership in the City topics include 1) entrepreneurial leadership; 2) entrepreneurial environments; 3) innovation and marketing; 4) networking and inclusive engagement; and 5) entrepreneurial management. The blended learning format combines asynchronous (from your location, on your schedule) and synchronous (scheduled video conferences) and occurs over six months so you can balance your day-to-day schedule with professional development.

Throughout the course, you will engage in projects/assignments, collaborative online learning, and application. Additional individual learner support can be scheduled as needed.

  • Pre-recorded videos (15 minutes) for independent learning.
  • Coffee Shop 1-hour video conference with participant-led dialogue typically the second Friday of the month 12-1 p.m. (ET).
  • Assignments are typically due the third Friday of each month and office hours are available.
  • Leadership in Action 2-hour video conference with Q&A format guest speakers and situation room activities are typically the last Friday from 12-2 p.m. (ET).
  • Opportunity to present a final capstone presentation to the class.
Registration DETAILS

Registration:

  • The next course will begin in December 2025 for the 2026 cohort. Registration will open early 2025.
    • If you need to pay by check or have multiple from the same organization registering, reach out to Michelle Gaston.6@osu.edu for special registration information.
  • Professional development investment approximately $500.
  • Registration deadline for the 2026 course will be November 1, 2025 (or when soldout).
  • Cancellations can be refunded through the registration deadline less a $50 processing fee.

Areas of Focus:

Leadership in the City Schedule
    Course Opens: Introduction and entrepreneurial learning December
I. Entrepreneurial Leadership January
    Your personal context as a leader in the city  
II. Entrepreneurial Environments    February
    Leadership in urban communities & university Extension contexts  
III. Entrepreneurial Innovation & Marketing March
    Program, project & product development
    Communications with internal & external stakeholders		  
IV. Entrepreneurial Networking & Inclusive Engagement April
    Partner collaboration plus diversity, equity & inclusion  
V. Entrepreneurial Management plus Recap, Reflection & Celebration May
    Management of projects, people & self
    Capstone presentation, recap, reflection & in-person celebration at the National Urban Extension Conference		  

Methods: Learn from content experts, apply what you learn in your city, participate in the online interactive learning. Each competency-based module incorporates interactive digital delivery and the flipped classroom model for active learning and engagement through:

Video icon 6 Pre-recorded videos and supplemental multimedia resources
Flat.png 10 Assignments (for you and your organization)
Shutter icon 5 Leadership in Action sessions (2 hours each) via video conference
Chat icon 6 Months of collaborative online learning
Coffee cup icon 5 Coffee Shops via video conference with participant-led dialogue
Checkmark icon Application through continual learning, reflection, coaching, mentoring, self-paced modules, and more
Opportunities to meet 1:1 with course instructor

 

Certificate and Digital Badge: By completing requirements noted on the Participant Checklist, participants can earn a certificate of completion and a digital badge. Digital badges assess and validate learning, and hold the potential to help transform where and how learning is valued (MacArthur Foundation). Digital badges can recognize essential competencies for university Extension professionals working in urban communities.

FAQ: Link to Leadership in the City FAQ

Monthly Schedule: Link to the 2024 monthly schedule as an example

Additional Details: Example Downloadable/Printable Flier

Investment: Approximately $500 plus a commitment to work hard and have fun investing approximately 8 hours per month during the 6-month course.

Approval Letter: Letter for Supervisor

Testimony: In the first six offerings of the program, 147 Extension professionals from 33 states participated in Leadership in the City, including diverse perspectives from 1862, 1890, and 1994 land-grant institutions. Here is what your peers had to say.

Course management: Course instructor: Ramona Madhosingh-Hector, Regional Specialized Agent, Urban Sustainability, University of Florida, IFAS Extension. Course advisor: Julie Fox, Director – Urban Engagement, Ohio State University Extension. Course manager: Michelle Gaston. This course was originally developed by Ohio State University Extension.

This course is offered through Ohio State University Extension and University of Florida/IFAS Extension. CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaesdiversity.osu.edu.