Political Leaders Program
May 9 2008 - 7:47am
The Political Leaders Program Class of 2008 is headed to the Shenandoah Valley today. The optional Friday tour will take them to the Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative. They'll enjoy dinner tonight at the Staunton Grocery, stay in Staunton tonight, and meet for class tomorrow at the Woodrow Wilson Library.
Apr 12 2008 - 11:50am
Sarah Godlewski of Arlington (at left), a member of the Political Leaders Program Class of 2008, and her sister Anna will make Sorensen history this year.
When Anna begins the College Leaders Program Class of 2008 on May 31, they will become the first sisters ever to be participants in Sorensen programs in the same year.
We recently learned that Chris (PLP 08) and Hunter (CLP 08) Fairchild are the first father and son to be participating in Sorensen programs in the same year.
Apr 12 2008 - 10:27am
The Sorensen Institute recently announced that Hunter Fairchild of Palmyra (Lynchburg College) has been accepted to the College Leaders Program Class of 2008, which begins in Charlottesville on May 31.
Hunter's dad Chris Fairchild is currently a member of the Political Leaders Program Class of 2008.
While we have seen the children of PLP alumni participate in our youth programs in the past, this is the first time in the history of the Sorensen Institute that we have had a father and son in Sorensen programs in the same year.
Mar 15 2008 - 11:43am
The Sorensen Institute is proud to announce that the Political Leaders Program Class of 2008 is now underway. The class held its first session this weekend in the Williamsburg area, meeting at the College of William and Mary's historic Wren Building (above), in Yorktown, and at the Virginia Institute for Marine Science. This is a wonderful group and we are honored to have them with us this year. The Political Leaders Program meets once a month for ten months, March through December, at locations across Virginia. Click here to learn more about the members of the PLP Class of 2008.
Jan 7 2008 - 10:00am
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***
CHARLOTTESVILLE—The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership today announced the names of those Virginians that have been accepted to its Political Leaders Program Class of 2008.
Sorensen's Political Leaders Program brings together approximately 35 emerging leaders each year from across the Commonwealth—including Democrats, Republicans, and Independents—to study the public policy issues facing Virginia. The Sorensen Institute has become the premiere national model of successful bi-partisan leadership training. And its Political Leaders Program has become something of a traditional "first step" towards elected office in Virginia. Participation in the program is incredibly competitive, with more than twice as many applicants each year as there are available seats.
The Sorensen Institute now has over 1,000 graduates of its various programs. Sixteen graduates will serve in the Virginia General Assembly this year—2 in the Virginia Senate and 14 in the House of Delegates; three graduates are serving in Governor Kaine's cabinet; and dozens more have been appointed to boards and commissions or are serving in critical positions of leadership in local governments or in the private sector.
A record number of Sorensen alumni ran and won office in the recent November 2007 elections. Forty-eight graduates were successful at the polls including 18 Republicans, 18 Democrats, and 12 Independents.
The Sorensen Institute celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, having been founded in 1993 to identify, educate, and inspire Virginia's future political and community leaders. Sorensen aims to create ethical, principled leaders who are eager to put aside partisan stereotypes and work cooperatively with others who have different political affiliations than their own to improve the quality of life for all Virginians.
The Sorensen Institute is a non-partisan organization that works to better the quality of governance at all levels throughout the Commonwealth. The Sorensen Institute does not participate in campaigns on behalf of issues, causes, or candidates for office. Though it is housed at the University of Virginia, the Sorensen Institute relies entirely on donations and grants from individuals, corporations, and foundations to support its programs.
***
Those Virginians who have been chosen to be members of the Political Leaders Program Class of 2008 are:
Robert Barnette, Mechanicsville
Melissa Bell, Alexandria
Kenneth Bernstein, Arlington
Ana Lucia Buckman, Arlington
Michael Chapman, Charlottesville
Brett Coffee, Burke
R. David Cox, Lexington
Anthony Dale, Alexandria
Steven DeLuca, Richmond
Robert Dorton, Lebanon
Patricia Edmonson, Virginia Beach
Stella Edwards, Colonial Heights
Christopher Fairchild, Palmyra
Sherry Foti, Roanoke
William Frank, Richmond
Dominic Gabello, Arlington
Sarah Godlewski, Arlington
J.D. Morgan Guthridge, Richmond
Kristie Helmick, Mechanicsville
Aryana Khalid, Stafford
W. Matthew Leighty, Richmond
Cheryl Lewis, Charlottesville
Arthur Lichtenberger, Charlottesville
Jennifer McKeever, Charlottesville
Brent Mckenzie, Virginia Beach
Helen O'Beirne, Richmond
Chris Piper, Midlothian
Kala Leggett Quintana, Burke
Bryan Michael Rhode, Richmond
Liane Rozzell, Arlington
Susan Spears, Fredericksburg
Joseph Walton, Powhatan
Claire Winiarek, Chesapeake
Contact: Coy Barefoot
Director of Communications and Alumni Relations
barefoot AT virginia DOT edu
***
Dec 7 2007 - 5:00pm
As we announced earlier this year,
WHTJ-PBS in Charlottesville is producing a one-hour documentary about
the Sorensen Institute's Political Leaders Program. The documentary
will be released nationally in the spring of 2008. We will host a
number of premiere parties around Virginia at that time for our alumni
and friends.
At our Alumni Reunion in October, WHTJ unveiled a
sneak preview of the documentary for those in attendance. We are happy
to make that sneak preview available now online for the first time.
Dec 7 2007 - 11:21am
The Political Leaders Program Class of 2007 convenes in Charlottesville tonight to kick off their graduation weekend. Chris Gates, past president of the National Civic League, will deliver the keynote address at a dinner tonight in the University of Virginia Rotunda Dome Room. And in that same space tomorrow morning, the class will officially graduate from the Sorensen Institute.
Congratulations!
Nov 12 2007 - 9:03am
The final deadline for the Sorensen Institute's Political Leaders Program Class of 2008 application is tonight at midnight.
Click here for more information on our main web site.
The deadline for the Candidate Training Program is midnight on December 3, 2007.
Please share this information with anyone who you think might be interested in taking their next step in public service.
May 10 2007 - 5:00am
Last week the Political Leaders Program Class of 2007 traveled to the Shenandoah Valley. Here are a few photos.
In keeping with tradition, our PLP Valley weekend started at lunchtime on Friday at Marjorie Rohrer's Country Home Catering near Harrisonburg. Sweet tea, creamed corn, greens, fried chicken, and blackberry cobbler: it was, as always, an incredibly delicious and filling meal. Over dessert and coffee we enjoyed an introduction to the poultry business in Virginia from Sorensen graduate Hobey Bauhan (PLP 2006), President of the Virginia Poultry Federation.
Members of the PLP Class of 2007 then participated in the Optional Friday Tour at the Shady Brook Farms turkey processing plant in Dayton. Part of Cargill Foods, this plant is the largest of its kind in the world—processing close to 90,000 turkey every day. General Manager Milt McPike a gracious and informative host, and we enjoyed talking with him about the public policy issues his industry faces here in the Commonwealth.
Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer shared his perspective on the issues over dinner Friday night at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton. Class member Terron Sims (left) is shown here talking with Secretary Homer.
Sorensen State Board member and President and CEO of the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association, Don Hall, joined the class on Saturday to discuss his experience as a professional lobbyist in the Commonwealth. Other speakers on Saturday included Senior Advisor to Governor Tim Kaine, Mark Rubin, who discussed the role of mediation in government.
The Political Leaders Program Class of 2007 will meet next in Charlottesville the weekend of June 8.
May 3 2007 - 2:36pm
The Political Leaders Program Class of 2007 is headed to the Shenandoah Valley this weekend.
The Friday Tour will take us to Shady Brook Farm in Dayton, for a look at the poultry industry that is so important to the Valley region. On Friday evening the class will enjoy dinner at the beautiful Stonewall Jackson Hotel in Staunton, including a conversation with Virginia Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer.
On Saturday the class will gather at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library there in Staunton for a number of conversations with experts in public service in the Commonwealth—including Don Hall of the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association and Mark Rubin, a Senior Advisor to Governor Tim Kaine and a facilitator and mediator with the McCammon Group.
The Class of 2007 will meet next in Charlottesville the weekend of June 8-9.
