Contributed Photo CMN Leadership Academy participants and others celebrating completion of the pilot program recently are, from left, front row, Dr. Lisa Bosman, Maria Escalante, Geraldine Sanapaw, Melissa Larson and Kelli Chelberg; back row, Maurissa Bigjohn, banquet speaker Chad Waukechon, program facilitator Brian Kowalkowski and Michael Faulds. Not pictured are Brandon Frechette, Luis Ortiz, Tessa James and Eric Jurgens.
A banquet July 23 at the College of Menominee Nation recognized the first 11 individuals to complete CMN’s new Shirley Daly Leadership Academy training.
The pilot academy class was composed of Maurissa Bigjohn and Brandon Frechette, of the CMN Department of Continuing Education; Dr. Lisa Bosman, of the college’s engineering faculty; Kelli Chelberg, teacher education faculty; Maria Escalante, library director; Michael Faulds, Melissa Larson and Luis Ortiz, of CMN’s Green Bay/Oneida campus; Eric Jurgens, of the English faculty; Tessa James, student services, and Geraldine Sanapaw, the college’s registrar.
Participants in the academy were nominated by a CMN dean, director or faculty member and chosen by a selection committee. Eligibility included service as a full-time staff or faculty member at CMN for a minimum of one year and academic credentials of a bachelor’s degree or higher. All the nominees were then selected by a three-member committee.
The academy is designed meet the leadership development needs of faculty, staff and team leaders at the college. Planners noted that every organization needs to plan for the future, and developing one of its greatest assets — its employees — is essential.
Program participants studied characteristics a successful leader should possess, their own personalities and skills, and how to use personal strengths and address areas of improvement.
Information was provided on what makes a tribal college a unique institution and what other tribal colleges are doing to develop leaders. Training also provided information on the role the federal government plays in the tribal college process and what employees of tribal colleges need to do to make sure their institutions flourish.
The program is named for the late Shirley Daly and was funded with a gift in her honor. Daly served as leader of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and was among those who fostered the idea of a tribal college in Keshena.
The College of Menominee Nation began offering classes in January 1993. CMN is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium and Northeast Wisconsin Education Resource Alliance, among other affiliations.
The college’s May graduating class brought the number of CMN alumni to more than 1,000.