What is the HillVets LEAD Program?
The mission of the HillVets LEAD Program is to assist in the professional development and growth of Military Veterans, spouses, and survivors; active-duty Service Members, Guardsmen, and Reservists; Capitol Hill or Executive Branch staffers; and VSO employees into the greater policy and politics ecosystem by tools, networking, mentorship, and experience necessary to take on leadership positions in policy on Capitol Hill or in the Washington, D.C. area.
Think of LEAD as similar to taking a 16-week class: there are weekly mandatory meetings, readings & assignments, and a culminating project.
Thanks to HillVets' amazing sponsors & partners, while there is a deposit fee, if you successfully complete the program the deposit is refunded and there is no cost to you.
Participants are not required to live in the DC Metropolitan area - those who do will be expected to participate in-person; those who do not can participate virtually.
Who you are:
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A policy, media/communications, advocacy, foreign affairs, government relations, or political professional looking to take your leadership and self-improvement to a new level
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Someone who believes in lively discourse, a healthy debate, respect for others, and putting our country before politics; value grit and grind to make it happen; are resilient, mission-focused, and team oriented; share a commitment to our nation, democracy, and diversity; have top notch integrity and a moral compass; write well, work well with others, and have strong experience in policy and politics.
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A dedicated individual who can devote 3 hours per week for 16 weeks to improving your skills alongside some of our nation's most sough-after leaders.
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Willing to be placed in a fire team with protégés who will push each other to success and be lifelong support systems to each other
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You can work alongside your fellow fire team protégés to create a culminating capstone project
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You are willing to stay engaged with the organization in years to come, look for ways to improve each other and the program, and pay it forward to those who follow in your footsteps.
As a HillVets LEAD Protégé you can expect:
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Leadership training and mentorship that emphasizes four core areas that we value (Leadership, Ethics, Advocacy, and Dedication to self-improvement)
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A new support team, your "fire team," which will consist of approximately 6 high-speed fellow protégés who will support you, and whom you will support as you move up the ladder of success
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Second-to-none policy/communications training in one of five areas: Veteran policy, Defense, Communications/Media, DEI, or Foreign Relations.
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Mentorship from and access to current and previous HillVets CAPCON panelists
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Access to all future cohort training sessions
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Access to all future CAPCON events and other special events
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The opportunity to lead forums, discussions, and projects
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The opportunity to provide the same excellent mentorship to future protégés