Leadership Lackawanna (LL) is a 501(c)(3) charitable, nonprofit organization in northeastern Pennsylvania dedicated to community leadership and professional development. Our six programs - Tomorrow's Leaders Today, Leadership Collegiate, Leadership Fundamentals 2.0, Core, Executive and Welcome Scranton! - enhance the skills, connections, and knowledge of emerging and established leaders, enabling them to better serve in our communities, workplaces and organizations. Established in 1982, LL has graduated more than 2,600 community leaders who live, work or play in Lackawanna County. For more information, visit leadershiplackawanna.com. We are a proud member of the Association of Leadership Programs (ALP).

Core Program

In this 10-month program, participants gain leadership, interpersonal and managerial skills, as well as an enhanced understanding of the issues relevant to the Greater Scranton region, through monthly sessions. Areas of focus can include community development, interpersonal communications, teamwork, project management, law, diversity, education, quality of life, history, and media, with sessions featuring widely recognized specialists. Members of the class also devote a large portion of their time to develop and implement community projects, hence enhancing their leadership abilities, fostering teamwork, and benefiting local nonprofit organizations. The main program objectives are to:

• enrich your leadership, interpersonal and managerial skills and help you evolve into a better professional
• assist you in developing a strong(er) network of professional connections, which can result in new referrals, leads or career opportunities
• expand your knowledge of Lackawanna County by accessing unique locations/places in northeastern Pennsylvania, increasing your appreciation of the community in which you live, work and play
• increase your confidence and capacity to lead
• assist you in making a positive, lasting impact on our region

Core Program Cost

$2,300 for companies with 10+ employees

$1,870 for companies with 1-9 employees

$1,650 for 501(c)(3) organizations. Government entities, business entities, individuals and academic organizations are not eligible.

For all six programs tuition refunds are only guaranteed within TWO weeks of the first session.   After the designated period, a refund will be considered on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of the Executive Director.

Individuals who are dismissed from any program will not receive a refund.

Tuition assistance is now available to all qualifying candidates - regardless of the industry or sector.

Tuition for TLT and Core must be paid within 30 days from the start of the program UNLESS a written request regarding special payment is submitted to Leadership Lackawanna.  LL has sole discretion to accept or decline such requests.

Tuition for WS!, Collegiate, LF 2.0 and Executive must be paid before the start of the program.   

For questions about these policies, please contact Nicole Morristell, Executive Director, Leadership Lackawanna at [email protected] or (570) 342-7711 ext.125.

Monthly sessions are typically held on the second Thursday of each month, from 8:30am-4:30pm.

August 26, 2025 (orientation and happy hour networking event)
September 11, 2025
October 9, 2025
November 13, 2025
December 11, 2025
January 8, 2026
February 19, 2026 (note: third Thursday of the month)
March 12, 2026
April 9, 2026
May 14, 2026
June 11, 2026
June 2026 (Graduation TBA)

Your resume, two references, an employer commitment and a non-refundable $40 processing fee must accompany the application.

Leadership Lackawanna has a competitive selection process and not all applicants can be selected.  Completion of the application does not ensure acceptance.  The quality and appearance of the application and required documents are taken into consideration during the selection process. Incomplete information, blank sections, or missing materials may negatively affect your application’s review. Everything should be typed and submitted electronically.  The Selection Committee will review all applications and assess candidate’s leadership potential, residence/work, volunteer experiences, communication skills and other factors.  Candidates may also be considered for an interview.  All applicants will be notified of the Selection Committee’s decisions in May.

To best support your application, your writing should not include any use of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Passing off any AI-generated content (e.g., cutting and pasting content into written essays, or paraphrasing AI content) as your own could result in a lower score or a failure to be considered for the program.

Questions? Contact Nicole A. Morristell at 570-342-7711 ext. 125 or [email protected].

Due to the hardships some companies and organizations may be facing, tuition assistance is now available to all qualifying candidates - regardless of the industry or sector. Requests from participants from the same company will be considered based on availability. Tuition assistance cannot be applied toward the application fee. If you need tuition assistance, indicate the amount and explain the reason below. If not, leave blank.

List the two individuals completing reference forms on your behalf. 

To submit references, email the Reference Form link found here to each reference.

Once complete, a copy will be emailed to your reference, and it will be elecronically submitted with your online application.

 

 

A nominee for the Core Program must have the support and commitment of his/her employer.  Support includes financial support (willingness to pay tuition) and time support (willingness to provide the applicant with time off from work, once a month, to attend all ten, full-day sessions). In some situations, a sponsor may pay the tuition fee instead of the employer. 

To submit, email the Employer Commitment form found here to your employer. Once complete, a copy will be emailed to your employer and it will be elecronically submitted with your application.

 

• If accepted, I understand the commitment I am making to the Leadership organization and since this program can only select a set number of participants, I understand the value of my acceptance and why my commitment is of great significance.
  
• I understand the mission and goals of Leadership Lackawanna.
• Attendance at Orientation, Graduation, and all 10 scheduled monthly sessions is important.  I understand the time commitment required of me as a participant. If selected, I commit to attend all monthly sessions and I fully understand that should I miss more than two sessions, I may be dismissed from the program with no portion of my tuition refunded. I will make necessary arrangements to be at sessions on time and remain through the completion of each session.
• I understand that I am required to work on, participate in and complete a group project.
• I am willing to devote my time and energy to the sessions, project and overall program
• My future includes seeking a community leadership role/position within Lackawanna County/Scranton area.
• I may need to complete a criminal history/child abuse report should my community service project involve working with children or youth.
• I have paid my $40 application fee
  
• I have uploaded my resume
• Two references have submitted forms on my behalf.
• My employer has submitted the Employer commitment form. 
• I have submitted the application and all required documents by the deadline.

My signature below indicates that all information contained within this application is accurate. I understand all of the commitments and statements, and agree to uphold them to the best of my ability. I further understand that if official information to the contrary becomes available, I will be given written notification, and may be disavowed from Leadership Lackawanna and prohibited from any further participation in any LL program, event, or social media activity.