Watershed Leadership Academy

I had the opportunity to attend the 2017 Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy (IWLA), and recommend it to anyone who is interested in expanding their knowledge of watershed science, planning, stakeholder development, communication, watershed management, and more. The five month Academy (January to June) is a combination face-to-face workshops and online distance learning . There are two weekend workshops which include presentations by watershed coordinators, storm water managers, citizen volunteers, environmental professionals, community officials, and planners. The online assignments consist of required and optional readings and a short written assignment. Written assignments are due every two weeks and require about 3-5 hours to complete. There is also a required group project which is presented at the graduation ceremony to other IWLA attendees and leaders. One of the great benefits of attending the IWLA is the networking opportunities with other Academy attendees and workshop presenters, many who are past graduates of the IWLA. Attending the Academy also provides attendees with access to many online resources, including archived webinars, videos, and a library of articles on various topics by leaders in the field of watershed management. Upon successfully completing the Academy, enrollees receive a certificate in Watershed Management from Purdue University.The deadline for enrolling in the IWLA is November 3rd.  Limited scholarships are available for enrollees from an unfunded agency. Please see the Academy web site for more information.