Elizabethtown College Director of the Center of Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) Javita Thompson was recently selected for the first individual cohort for the United Way of Lancaster County’s Project Blueprint.
Project Blueprint is a training and resource program for underrepresented and diverse community members to serve as leaders in their local communities.
“I value being able to connect with people who have a similar vision for solving problems and seeking resources to help others benefit who might not have the same opportunity to thrive as others,” Thompson said. “I am honored to be among this group of strong leaders.”
Focusing on empowering historically marginalized participants to serve on nonprofit and public governance boards, the program consists of organizational and individual cohorts. Thompson is part of an individual cohort, in which multiple diverse community members are selected to learn more about board leadership and how to thrive as community leaders.
She was selected from a pool of applicants based partially on her leadership potential.
Project Blueprint will consist of nine monthly training sessions facilitated by field experts. Throughout the sessions, participants have the opportunity to establish connections, develop leadership skills, and acquire knowledge.
“At Etown, we have the opportunity to provide our campus community with skills that aid in the mobilization of resources, people, and organization,” Thompson said. “A partnership with local community organizations is a win-win for our campus and the community.”
Previous participants in Project Blueprint include Willonda McCloud, president and CEO at Bright Side Opportunity Center, Kevin Ressler, the former executive director for United Way Lancaster and CEO of the Alliance for Health Equity, and Dr. Karen Rice, the department chair of social work at Millersville University.
“I jumped at the chance to gain community connections with diverse populations and to have the ability to learn from others who went before me,” Thompson said. “Everyone who has completed this program has played a vital role in the Lancaster community through their activism, education, and connections.”
