Spring 2026 Community Leadership Skills Courses
Preparing aspiring and practicing leaders
The Community Leadership program has openings in the following Spring 2026 courses. Taught by subject matter experts, the Community Leadership Skills
Courses emphasize practical skills, deep dives into crucial topics, and
take only 5 weeks to complete! Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to sign up.
CLDR 410-01, Events & Programming as Inclusive Process with Ashley Bush (Baltimore City Parks & Recreation) and Katie Long (Friends of Patterson Park).
When/Where:
Wednesday nights, 4:30 - 7:00pm, 1/28/26 - 2/25/26 at the Lion Brothers
Building classroom in Southwest Baltimore City (on the UMBC shuttle
route).
Course Description: This
course will guide students through the steps of program development and
implementation that reflects community culture and priorities. "Events
and Programming as Inclusive Process" seeks to help students develop
programming which connects multiple communities through shared
activities and spaces, and addresses the importance of creating programs
and events which respond to community needs, feedback, and assets. The
course will equip students with an understanding of the concept of
inclusive programming and the value of community engagement to create
sustainable community programs and events.
CLDR 410-02, Asset Based Community Development with Jess Wyatt (UMBC Alumni Relations and Asset-Based Community Development Institute)
When/Where: Wednesday
nights, 4:30 - 7:00pm, 3/4/26 - 4/8/26 at the Lion Brothers Building
classroom in Southwest Baltimore City (on the UMBC shuttle route).
Course Description: This
course will address the fundamentals of Asset Based Community
Development (ABCD), how to practically implement ABCD in students' daily
professional practice while developing a community of practice using
ABCD, as well as, becoming ABCD practitioners in the field. Working
through an ABCD process, participants can move towards whole-community
mobilization through mapping the capacities assets of individuals,
associations, and institutions while building relationships.
CLDR 410-03, Budgeting for Community Impact with Candace Chance (Baltimore Nonprofit Strategist and Director of the Vision, Performance & Impact Firm)
When/Where: Wednesday
nights, 4:30 - 7:00pm, 4/15/26 - 513/26 at the Lion Brothers Building
classroom in Southwest Baltimore City (on the UMBC shuttle route).
Course Description: Have
you heard the saying, Put your money where your mouth is? If not, it is
a saying that means to follow through on something you said.
Organizations say a lot through their marketing, their grant proposals,
and ultimately through their vision, mission, and values. But there's
one major way to see if they're really walking the walk or just talking:
their BUDGET! An organization's budget is their accountability to the
things that they say. This course will teach students how to align their
values and their intended impact with their budgets so that they can
stand in integrity.
If you have any questions, you can reach out to Sally Scott (sjscott@umbc.edu) and Devin Wilkins (devinw2@umbc.edu).