Political Leaders Program (PLP)

Enhance your effectiveness as a civic leader in the Commonwealth

Sorensen's flagship leadership development program is for experienced professionals in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors who live or work in Virginia and are engaged or want to be engaged in the political, civic, business, nonprofit or governing life of their locality, region or the Commonwealth. PLP attendees are able to

• Participate more effectively in civic life or public service
• Have a greater impact on public policy in the Commonwealth of Virginia
• Work with people across the partisan aisle or from different regions of the Commonwealth
• Better understand the interplay between their current positions and politics and government in Virginia
• Build up a network of professional relationships within the cohort, with guest speakers, and among Sorensen Institute alumni

Program Details

Themes & Curriculum

Effective leadership – through building trust and working together – is a central theme of the program. We explore how leaders have gained positions of trust and shaped public policy in Virginia. We also look at how bipartisan and regional cooperation can be used to craft approaches and solutions to problems, opportunities, and challenges faced by Virginia residents. Finally, we review techniques for finding common ground in addressing potentially divisive topics and challenging conversations.

The curriculum is focused on several core subject areas, including:

Public Policy - Participants will engage with speakers who will provide information about such public policy topics as the state budget, transportation, education, healthcare, workforce and economic development, public safety, housing, energy, and the environment. We also cover innovation, funding priorities, reform efforts, and the changing nature of Virginia’s electorate.

Influencers in the Political and Governing Process -  Participants will engage with current and former elected officials, appointed officials, board and commission members, lobbyists and advocates, regional and subject matter experts, and business and nonprofit leaders.

Experiential Learning – Participants will learn how leaders can better connect theory to real-world situations through experiential learning activities that foster a deeper understanding of Virginia's different regions and cultures. Each year’s program experience is unique and includes tours and site visits in nine regions across the Commonwealth involving businesses, academic centers, landmarks and historic sites, culture centers, and government facilities.

Ethics in Public Service and Civic Life - Participants will study ethical principles as they relate to public service and civic life, including considering ethical issues in case study scenarios.

Working Across the Aisle -  Participants will learn skills to increase their ability to convey their views effectively while also developing skills and practical techniques to bridge partisan, regional, and other divides to create sustainable public policies.

General Program Schedule

Program participants meet in various locations throughout Virginia on one weekend a month from March through December, except for the month of July. Some sessions meet for three days (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) and some sessions meet for two days (Friday, Saturday). We ask that you confirm your availability before you apply. 

With few exceptions, the following is a typical weekend schedule:

• Thursday-Saturday sessions typically begin on Thursday sometime between 10:30am and noon
• Friday-Saturday sessions begin on Friday sometime between 8:30am and 11am
• Sessions on Thursday and Friday typically end between 8:30 and 9pm. Saturday sessions typically conclude between 1:15 and 1:30pm

Anticipated 2025 Schedule and Topics

We ask that you confirm your availability for the sessions below before you apply to the program. Any applicants who cannot commit fully to the two mandatory sessions should wait to apply in another year.

Williamsburg/Yorktown/Gloucester: March 13, 14, 15 (Full attendance is mandatory)

Topics: Orientation, Ethics, Regional Issues, General Assembly Recap, State and Local Government, Demographics and Environment

Richmond: April 10, 11, 12

Topics: Law Enforcement, Veterans, State Budget, Virginia's Capitol, Government Accountability, Regional Concerns

Lynchburg: May 16, 17

Topics: Economic Development, Arts, Housing, Regional Cooperation

Danville and Martinsville: June 12, 13, 14

Topics: Downtown Revitalization, Economic Development, Advanced Manufacturing, Sports, Civil Rights, Journalism

No meeting in July

Harrisonburg: August 8, 9

Topics: Agriculture, Education, Immigration

Southwest Virginia: September 17, 18, 19, 20

Topics: Town Government, Main Streets, Tourism, Coal Industry, Clean Energy Generation, Entrepreneurial Leadership, Healthcare, Impact of Music History, Gaming and Casinos

Hampton / Norfolk: October 16, 17, 18 (Attendance on October 17 is mandatory)

Topics: Shipbuilding, Maritime Economy, Ethics Case Studies, Fort Monroe History, Arts, Impact of Military Presence

Northern Virginia: November 14, 15

Topics: Federal Presence, Local Government, Innovation, Multicultural Economy, Transportation, Regional Cooperation and Concerns

Charlottesville: December 12, 13 (Includes Saturday graduation ceremony)

Topics: Virginia History, Leadership, Program Recap and Takeaways, Graduation

Program Fee and Limited Financial Aid

Program Fee

The program fee to participate in the PLP 2025 cohort is $6,200, which includes a private hotel room for each weekend and covers most meals, entrance fees at venues, and program materials. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from the program sessions.

Payment of the program fee for PLP 2025 participants will be due in full by January 21, 2025. For participants on a payment plan, the initial deposit is due by January 21. 2025. The payment plan consists of four $1,600 payments (due on January 21, April 21, June 20, and August 21, 2025). These payments include the $200 deferral fee attached to the payment plan.

Financial Aid

The Sorensen Institute has a limited amount of financial aid available for its programs, generally limited to $1,000 or less for an individual with demonstrated need. We request that participants who need such assistance to check first with their employer, many of whom pay program fees for professional development programs such as those offered by the Sorensen Institute.

Requests for financial aid should be submitted with the program application.

More information about the available payment plan and how to apply for financial aid can be found on the Financial Aid page.

How to Apply

Application Timeline

• September – mid November: Applications accepted for next year's program
• November – December: Interviews of applicants, selection of class participants
• January: Acceptance packets distributed, forms and payments due
• March – December: Program sessions held one weekend each month except for July

How Participants Are Selected

The application process is open to individuals who live or work in Virginia. Preference is given to people who have 10+ years of career experience and who are actively involved or seek to become involved in the civic life of the Commonwealth or its communities through work in the public, private or nonprofit sector.

Approximately 36 participants are selected each year in a highly competitive selection process that includes an application form including short essay questions and interviews by staff members, Sorensen alumni, and/or regional leaders. The Sorensen Institute typically receives many more applications for the Political Leaders Program each year than there are available spaces.

A key goal of the selection process is to enable the Sorensen Institute to build program cohorts that reflect Virginia's diversity—including region, race, ethnicity, gender, and employment in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. We seek a balance between Republicans and Democrats in each cohort as well as participants who have other party or no party affiliations. This balanced cohort composition is important to the effectiveness of the program and influences our selection process.

If you would like to refer someone to our Political Leaders Program, please visit our referrals page.

Application Requirements

Applying to the Political Leaders Program involves the following:

• Registering a Cooper Center for Public Service account if you do not have one already (instructions below)
• Completing an online application which includes:
  • short essay questions
  • background/contact information
• Submitting optional (but strongly encouraged) supplemental information by email (do not mail) to lap2y@virginia.edu:
  • your resume
  • up to two letters of recommendation (no more than 2 will be reviewed) 

Please view our financial aid page for limited assistance in paying for the program.

Cooper Center Account Instructions:

• Access the 2025 PLP Application via the Sorensen website https://www.coopercenter.org/sorensen/plp or the “Cooper Center Portal Instructions” webpage: https://www.coopercenter.org/cooper-center-portal-instructions
• Create an account (We recommend creating an account well in advance of the application deadline to ensure timely completion of your application)
• Submit the registration form (personal and contact information) to create an account
• Under “Which program are you interested in?” you should select “Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership”
• Check for an email from CCPS to create a password, then log into the portal.
• Under the “Select a Service” dropdown tab, click “Sorensen Institute”
• Under the “New Applications” dropdown tab, click “Political Leaders Program”
• Under the “Personal Information” dropdown tab, update your “Contact Information”, “Education”, “Employment”, and “Community Activities” (Application Form is due by Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 11:59PM)
• After you submit the application form, you will receive an email within 1-2 business days with instructions on how to upload supplemental materials. (Supplemental Materials -- Resume and 1-2 Letters of Recommendation -- are due by Friday, November 15, 2024 at 11:59PM)
• Letters of Recommendation may also be submitted via email to Leslie Pryor (lap2y@virginia.edu)
• You do not need to upload other personal forms, such as your insurance form, prior to acceptance into the program.

Application Deadlines

Applications Open:

September 23, 2024

Applications Close:

November 12, 2024

Financial aid request submitted electronically by:

November 15, 2024

Supplemental materials submitted electronically by:

November 15, 2024

Application Short Essay Questions

1. What role should civil discourse, dialogue, and respect for others unlike oneself have in our polarized politics? Do these notions have value? Should they play a role in elections? Do they have value in achieving policy goals?
2. Describe a time when you had to work with someone or a group of people who disagreed with you and with whom you had to build consensus or a compromise.  How did you do that?  What was the result of your efforts?  What did you learn from the process?
3. What achievement, experience or pursuit in your life is most meaningful to you? What has been your most satisfying leadership achievement so far? What barrier(s), if any, have you encountered in achieving your goals?
4. What does state or local government in Virginia do well? What would you like to change about government in Virginia?
5. Have you ever run for political office?  Is it your goal to become an elected and/or appointed public official? If so, what sort of office would you pursue, and why? If not, what role do you see for yourself in the political and/or civic life of Virginia or your local community?
6. What specific skills, knowledge or resources do you hope to acquire as a result of participating in the Sorensen Institute Political Leaders Program?
7. What unique attributes, experiences or perspectives would you bring to a PLP cohort consisting of individuals who care about politics, policy, and civic life in Virginia?

Other Application Information

The following information will be requested in the PLP application:

• How you learned about the Sorensen Institute
• Current and past employment information
• Education degrees and relevant non-degree training programs
• Activities that demonstrate your commitment to public service, community involvement, and/or volunteer work
• Contact information
• Two references