A program presented by the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce aimed at developing leadership skills and resources called Leadership Portales will restart this fall after a two- year hiatus during the pandemic.
Leadership Portales is designed to provide a series of educational and participatory experiences for 20 individuals each year. The nine-month leadership training program consists of nine full-day sessions once a month starting in September and ending with a graduation in May.
Sessions combine forums, tours, dialogue and interaction between speakers and participants. Subjects include government, quality of life, education, health care, economy, human services, industry, technology and community heritage. The highlight of the year is a field trip to NMMI in Roswell to participate in a leadership and teamwork activity called a “ropes course.”
“Leadership Portales allowed me to seamlessly make connections in the community,” said Christy Ruby, Librarian at the Golden Student Success Center at ENMU. “I was new here, and this program helped me understand the resources and community of Portales in ways that would have taken months on my own.”
Monthly sessions will be held on the second Tuesday of each month. Alumni from previous Leadership Portales classes plan each month and escort the group on what are typically very busy days.
“I highly recommend Leadership Portales because it really opened my eyes and heart to the history and hard work that happens in Portales,” said Sarah Stubbs of Portales Schools. “The history in this area is fascinating and the different businesses we toured were amazing. It is really easy to stay in your office or business and just focus on that area, but the experiences each month just further ingrained Portales as my home town. I may be a transplant, but Portales will always be my home.”
Tuition is $400 and includes course materials, a shirt and logoed portfolio, travel and meals. A limited number of scholarships are available.
Applications can be picked up at the Chamber or downloaded on the website at portales.com. Deadline is July 31, 2022. Call Karl Terry at (575) 356-8541 for questions or more details.
