Maria Whelan Leadership Institute

Early Childhood Emerging Leaders Fellowship

Transforming providers and educators into Illinois’ early childhood leaders.

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Applications Now Open!

Are you interested in becoming an early childhood leader and advocate in your community?

We are seeking equity-minded applicants from diverse backgrounds and communities for the 2024-25 Early Childhood Emerging Leaders Fellowship. Apply for the Emerging Leaders Fellowship and engage in a 9-month fellowship with 20 fellows from Illinois. The 2024-25 Emerging Leaders Fellowship takes place from June 2024 to February 2025.

The last day to submit your application is April 12, 2024.

Apply for the Emerging Leaders Fellowship

Empowering professionals to be Illinois’ early childhood leaders and advocates.

At the Maria Whelan Leadership Institute (MWLI), we believe that every early childhood professional has the potential to be a leader and advocate for positive change. MWLI serves as a catalyst for transformation, offering comprehensive programs designed to cultivate the skills, knowledge, and mindset necessary to make a lasting impact in the field of early childhood education.

The MWLI Early Childhood Emerging Leaders Fellowship is an innovative program designed to engage diverse, mid-level child care providers and early learning teachers in developing their leadership, advocacy, and systems change skills and knowledge of the state’s early childhood landscape.

About the Fellowship

The MWLI Emerging Leaders Fellowship is tailored for mid-level professionals in early childhood education and care (ECEC) who aspire to enhance their leadership skills both professionally and civically.

Throughout this nine-month fellowship, you will join a cohort of 20 fellows from across the state of Illinois. Our program offers monthly facilitated sessions by experts focusing on leadership development, professional skills, advocacy, and systems change. Annually, we actively seek equity-minded applicants from diverse backgrounds and communities for our cohorts. All fellows receive a stipend for their participation in the fellowship program.

Apply to become a part of our vibrant community of emerging leaders in early childhood education and care!

Ideal candidates for the Early Childhood Emerging Leaders Fellowship:

  • Currently hold mid-level ECEC positions in Illinois with at least three years of professional experience. Example titles include ECEC Coaches, Assistant Directors, Educator Coordinators, and more.
  • Have a strong commitment to advancing their career and improving the Illinois ECEC system through advocacy.
  • Can dedicate approximately 10 hours per month to the fellowship.
  • Have the support of a supervisor who can accommodate Friday afternoons for program engagement.
  • Hold a bachelor’s degree.
  • Identify with or work within historically underserved communities, including but not limited to individuals who identify as Black, Latinx, Hispanic, Indigenous, People of Color, first-generation college graduates, and those in communities with limited access to economic resources across rural, urban, or suburban areas.

Have Questions? Get Answers!

For more information about the Emerging Leaders Fellowship, contact:

Jacqueline Melendez

Director of Workforce Development

VIA EMAIL

emergingleaders2024@actforchildren.org

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