Senator John Unger Selected to Participate in Prestigious Advanced Leadership Development Program
Contact: Colleen Cousineau or Lori Jones-Rucker - Council of State Governments (CSG) - Southern Legislative Conference 404-633-1866
Senator John Unger - 304-389-1866
(Atlanta, Georgia) - Senator John Unger, D-Berkeley, has been selected to receive one of 20 scholarships to attend the CSG's Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills (CALS) program. One of the goals of this multi-branch CALS program is to provide the public with highly skilled, educated, and confident state leaders equipped to be effective decision makers.
The program provides participants with a unique opportunity to gain region-specific information on issue trends and forecasts and leadership/skills development from highly qualified professionals. State officials from around the regions discuss issues, share insights and innovative ideas.
The CALS program, a partnership between the bi-partisan Southern Legislative Conference of The Council of State Governments (CSG) and the Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center at the University of Oklahoma, offers an intensive three-and-a-half day professional development program to help state lawmakers from nine selected Southern states advance their leadership skills in in-depth policy initiatives that will address some of the major challenges in their respective states. Participants will spend classroom time with nationally renowned experts in public policy, media and leadership training. Senator Unger is the only West Virginian who has ever attended a CALS program.
With the recognition of the changing political landscape in the South, the Center for the Advancement of Leadership Skills was established. Unique among CSG leadership programs, CALS rotates among sponsoring universities. The 2007 inaugural program was help at the University of Arkansas, with the University of Oklahoma serving as this year's host. With Senator Unger's leadership and assistance, CALS will be at West Virginia University next year (2009).
Note: Founded in 1947, the Southern Legislative Conference is the largest of four regional legislative groups operating under the Council of State Governments and comprises the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
