How to Apply

Each class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute will include at least two Fellows from every state in the Appalachian Regional Commission footprint, and will draw from a variety of public and private industry sectors.

Required Application Materials

• Completed Essay Questions (See below)
• Resume/CV
• Letter of Support from Applicant’s Employer
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation describing the applicant’s skills and experience relevant to the Appalachian Leadership Institute mission.

Note: The Appalachian Leadership Institute is seeking a diverse pool of candidates from across the region. For examples of resumes for skilled trades or non-traditional career paths, click here and here. If you have additional questions or need assistance, please contact leadership@arc.gov.

Essay Questions

Please answer the following essay questions in one document.  Answers should be limited to 300 words each.

• Why are you interested in the Appalachian Leadership Institute and what tools/knowledge do you hope to bring back to your community? What specific skills/knowledge do you hope to contribute to the Appalachian Leadership Institute program?
• Describe a successful project that you have led to improve your community, organization, or region.
• What are the greatest strengths of your community? Most pressing challenges? How does your leadership bridge the gap between your community’s strengths and challenges?
• When you are confronted with people, ideas, or experiences different from your own, how do you interact with them?
• What is one aspect of Appalachia you would you most like to have an impact on and why?
• Share anything else you would like ARC and the Appalachian Leadership Institute team to know about you. This can include awards or recognition, additional examples of your engagement and leadership, or any other elements not captured in your previous responses.

Attendance Policy

Attendance to all sessions is encouraged, but participants are allowed an excused absence of 20 hours (or one full session) with the exception of Orientation. The entire Orientation session is mandatory and if an applicant has a conflict with the Orientation dates, we ask you wait until a future year to apply.