The Mayor’s Civic Leaders Fellowship (MCLF) is designed to introduce civic leaders in Colorado Springs to the inner workings of city government with an emphasis on productive discourse in leadership and engagement with city leaders and issues. The Fellowship creates a unique experience for professionals to emerge with a greater understanding of the complicated nature of government and leadership, and tools for leading through productive dialogue.
The mission of MCLF is to develop a cadre of civic leaders in every major industry across the City who are connected to local decision-makers and to each other.
Apply for the 2025 fellowship class
Deadline to submit applications is October 31, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.
Class Makeup and Focus
The Fellowship will be completed over the course of a year, and a new class of fellows will be inducted each year. To enhance the experience, the 2025 class will be limited to 20 spots. Fellows are expected to attend the 12, four hour seminars (one per month), as well as additional time commitment of six hours a month in City Engagement Opportunities. These range from serving at City-led events, helping lead the Mayors Civic Leader Fellowship and Mayors Young Leader Awards, as well as working with City officials on projects, including a Capstone project.
In addition to seminars, fellows will have opportunities to visit local non-profits, fire and police stations, military organizations and various networking opportunities. These may be scheduled outside the hours of the seminar.
The Mayor’s Civic Leaders Fellowship will meet once a month from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on the following dates:
- January 29
- February 26
- March 26
- April 30
- May 21
- June 25
- July 30
- August 27
- September 24
- October 29
- November 19
- December 10
Note: Some dates may shift due to speaker availability.
Topics will range from public safety, public works, infrastructure, and economic development to urban planning, renewal and relationships between city, county and state governments.
Why the emphasis on productive dialogue?
Effective civic engagement is predicated on the ability to learn from and listen to other perspectives and voices. The Fellowship will use the framework of productive dialogue to frame learning about key city issues.