Leadership Development

LDP

The future of education in Big Shoulders Fund schools depends on strong and dynamic leadership. Big Shoulders Fund works to recruit and support school leaders through the Leadership Development Program. The Leadership Development Program prepares participants for leadership by offering funding for their academic work toward Master’s degrees and by providing ongoing training, mentoring and support specifically geared toward the needs of principals serving in schools with demonstrated need. Currently, 40 percent of elementary schools have a Leadership Development Program candidate or graduate in a school leadership position, reaching 6,000 students on a daily basis.

To date, Big Shoulders has agreements in place with five local Catholic universities: DePaul, Loyola, Illinois, UIC, and Notre Dame.

Qualified applicants must meet the Archdiocese of Chicago’s principal qualifications. Click here to view the requirements. Participating degree candidates must commit to seeking employment as an administrator in a Big Shoulders-supported school, and remain in one of the schools that Big Shoulders supports for an extended time period. Participants represent diverse communities and are committed to inner-city Catholic education.

Dan Bennett
Managing Director, School Marketing and Enrollment
312.374.5670  ✶  dbennett@bigshouldersfund.org