Women’s Leadership Training Program Application

Thank you for your interest in the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) Women’s Leadership Training Program (WLTP).

WLTP is a year-long, cohort-based, professional development program—targeting (but not limited to) early career and emerging educators—that seeks to support diverse educators interested in pursuing leadership opportunities within the Association at the local, state, and national levels.

Cohort members will engage in a powerful learning journey whose goal is to raise their individual and collective awareness about their ideas and competencies as leaders, build and strengthen their capacity to become transformational leaders, and catalyze them to take action and lead the movements focused on creating and sustaining equitable, inclusive, and just schools and communities as well as strengthening a professional Association firmly rooted in racial, social, and economic justice.

All members who identify as women/womxn are eligible to apply to the cohort provided they do not currently hold an elected office in a local association, MSEA, or NEA. In this instance, having served as a delegate to the MSEA and/or NEA RA will not be considered an elected office. Please note: when possible, at least 35% of those selected will be new activists to the work of the union.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 11:59 p.m. August 31, 2026
QUESTIONS: Contact Stephanie Walters at [email protected] with “WLTP Program Questions” in the subject line.

Applicants who are selected for the cohort are required to participate in every component of the program scheduled throughout the cohort year, whether in-person or virtual. Virtual bridge meetings and other program-related activities take place in between the three scheduled in-person sessions (exact dates TBD). Your signed commitment is required because, if selected, you will fill one of a limited number of spots in the cohort that another interested applicant would otherwise have an opportunity to fill.

The dates for the in-person sessions are as follows:

• September 25-26, 2026
• December 11-12, 2026
• May 21-22, 2027

BEFORE APPLYING TO THE PROGRAM, CONSULT YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CALENDARS TO BE CERTAIN YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY SCHEDULING CONFLICTS. Emergency situations notwithstanding, COHORT MEMBER ATTENDANCE FOR THE ENTIRETY OF ALL IN-PERSON TRAINING SESSIONS (FRIDAY EVENING AND ALL DAY SATURDAY) IS MANDATORY!!!

If you are unable to meet the attendance requirements during the upcoming program year, we ask that you apply for a future cohort class. Failure to do so could result in your being dismissed from the program.

A cohort member’s unexcused absence from any in-person training session is subject to the participant being invoiced for any resulting expenses incurred by MSEA and removed from the cohort training program.

In order to receive credit for successfully completing the WLTP program, participants are expected to conduct and present a leadership project. The leadership project will be introduced during the first WLTP session with formal work on the project commencing thereafter. The final project will be due by the third WLTP session (unless otherwise arranged with program leaders). Cohort members will receive support and guidance from WLTP leaders, staff, and/or WLTP alumni serving as mentors).

There are numerous challenges facing our schools, communities, profession, and association. Confronting these challenges requires the involvement of strong, dedicated, knowledgeable leaders whose diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and perspectives have prepared them to serve at the local, state, and national levels.