“Executive Education Program in Strategic Leadership and Transformative Action” (SLTA)

ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
In partnership with The Fletcher School at Tufts University, FAITH launched the inaugural program, the “Executive Education Program in Strategic Leadership and Transformative Action” (SLTA). Developed and led by Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou (The Fletcher School’s Faculty Director of the Initiative on Religion, Law, and Diplomacy), the curriculum was designed to give clergy and laity a foundational set of technical and intellectual tools and ideas for strategic management and leadership that can produce transformative action in the Church and community.

In January 2020, a group of twenty clergy and lay people from the Metropolis of Chicago traveled to The Fletcher School to engage in a pilot 5-day intensive of customized executive-level lectures and workshops led by Dr. Prodromou and a cohort of Fletcher faculty. The curriculum included lectures by leading experts in related disciplines of faith-based and non-profit organizations covering topics such as strategic planning and management, financial planning for non-profits, leadership, communication strategies, and religious literacy. Throughout the program, participants discussed best practices, challenges and opportunities for growth in within.

Following the success and ongoing impact of the 2020 pilot class from the Metropolis of Chicago, FAITH looks forward to offering the 2021 SLTA program to participants from the Metropolis of Boston. The 2021 program dates will be May 24-28, 2021 (application deadline extended to March 12, 2021).

As part of the application process, each participant identifies an impact project to be developed during the program’s duration. While the project topics vary in objective, they should seek to usher in innovation, collaboration and transformation within parishes and the greater community. For example, 2020 impact projects included proposals of creatively employing modern communication technologies to engage a broader community to the cultural assimilation of Greek Orthodox architecture and education. The program culminates in a series of final presentations of each impact project and each participant was granted a Certificate from the Office of Executive Education at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

IMPACT OF PROGRAM
Upon their return home, many of the SLTA participants not only introduced their individual impact projects to their respective parishes but also chose to collaborate across their six-state Metropolis to inaugurate a series of new initiatives in response the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants, equipped with the tools learned in the SLTA program, were able to quickly pivot and concentrate on developing innovative programs to meet their communities’ immediate and pressing needs including some of the initiatives included below.

Project HOPE
With his initial impact project focused on active community outreach, Fr. Peter Spiro from Geneva, IL partnered with clergy and laity across Metropolis of Chicago parishes to establish the Humanitarian Outreach and Philanthropic Engagement (HOPE) program to support children, families and local networks achieve food security and provide “care kits” during the onset of COVID-19. The National Hellenic Museum, which, through the generosity of FAITH Founder John Calamos and the Museum Board, repurposed a portion of its space during the pandemic shutdown to house Project HOPE for food storage and distribution. To date, Project HOPE supports more than 2,000 families and individuals throughout the Chicago area and distributed over five tons of food.

Strengthen Stewardship Now
As part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of SLTA participants collaborated on a Metropolis-based stewardship program to provide parishes with resources and tools to increase greater stewardship participation and become less reliant upon episodic fundraising events. The program was expedited in response to the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic upon parish revenue sources. The Strengthen Stewardship Now Committee consists of 22 individuals from 14 parishes throughout the Metropolis of Chicago who continue to work closely with parishes in the design and implementation of the program which has raised over $250,000 since its inception a few months ago.

Communication and Technology
Aristides Smith from Palatine, IL whose project on employing modern Communication Technology to enhance accessibility was utilized to ensure parishes could live-stream services and liturgies and use technology to host virtual Sunday school rooms and other youth programs.

The Order of the Myrrhbearing Women
In partnership with 12 other parish leaders, SLTA participants Cindy Karos from Minneapolis, MN and Mary Scott from Elkhart, ID inaugurated the Order of the Myrrhbearing Women to recognize and promote the individual and collective voices of women and women's organizations in the Church by empowering them to create and sustain new ministries.