nominations for the Class of 2025 are open
HOW TO APPLY
To become a Leadership Ohio Fellow an individual must be a resident of Ohio or the tri-state area and working in Ohio, and be at least 18 years of age. The individual must first be nominated— and once nominated, an individual may be invited to apply. Only 35 applicants are accepted into each class of Leadership Ohio each year.
Nominations may be submitted by:
Leadership Ohio Board of Trustees
Leadership Ohio Executive Director
Leadership Ohio alumni
Leadership Ohio sponsors/partners
Ohio Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Member of Ohio House or Senate
Senior Executives of Ohio Chamber of Commerce and/or member-organizations
Executive Directors of local leadership development programs
Other: See below
If you are not connected to any of the individuals or organizations above, you may seek a nomination directly from the Executive Director of Leadership Ohio by sending a request and the URL of your LinkedIn profile to lisaduty@leadershipohio.org. The Executive Director may also consider nominations submitted on behalf of exceptional candidates.
please click below to submit a nomination
APPLY NOW
If you receive a nomination letter and are invited to submit an application, please note the following information:
application REVIEW, selection, and feedback
Applicants are selected and admitted in the spirit of forming a diverse and dynamic class where a diversity of viewpoints are encouraged and seating is limited. Selection is at the discretion of staff and/or Trustees. Leadership Ohio does not provide feedback on applications or candidacies and all application materials are held in confidence.
Application Fee
The application fee is $100 (non-refundable and non-applicable to tuition).
Tuition to Participate in Leadership Ohio 2025
$5,900
Leadership Ohio Scholarship Program
The Leadership Ohio Scholarship Program affords individuals the opportunity to benefit from the LO experience by awarding partial tuition scholarships. LO may offer limited, partial scholarships based on financial need and merit to nonprofit and for-profit-based individuals. To apply for a scholarship, complete the scholarship request portion of the application.
Awards
LO expects to award one to three scholarships for Program Year 2025 in amounts ranging between $1,000 and $2,950. Tuition for 2025 is $5,900. LO will make any award offers only after an individual has been accepted into the Class of 2025.
Income Verification
Household income documentation is required at the time an offer of award is made. For all working adults within a household you must provide the following:
Most recent two months of pay stubs
Most current Tax Return
Eligibility
In addition to demonstrated financial need and merit, eligible individuals are those that meet the following conditions:
You will be required to make a $500 tuition down payment upon accepting an offer of scholarship.
You must arrange to pay the balance of tuition monthly, and in full in 6 months.
You must certify that all information is true and complete to the best of your knowledge, and that you understand that false or incomplete information could jeopardize your scholarship with the full amount of the funds awarded recalled by Leadership Ohio.
All applicants are required to pay the $100 application fee at the time of application. Applications submitted without the application fee will not be considered for Leadership Ohio, nor the Leadership Ohio Scholarship Program.
payment plans
No fee, 0% interest payment plans are available on a limited basis. Early application is encouraged.
Deadlines
EARLY ADMISSION: Applications received on or before December 31, 2024 will be given priority review on a rolling basis and are eligible for early admission.
STANDARD ADMISSION/FINAL DEADLINE: All applications must be submitted by March 3, 2025. Individuals who apply during this phase have a much higher probability of being waitlisted if selected.
2025 draft calendar
All dates, times, and locations are subject to change.
Session times are approximately 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Fridays and 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturdays except Homecoming Saturday which lasts until approximately 4:00 PM.
April: Opening Retreat & Newark Session
Friday, April 25, 2025 | Saturday, April 26, 2025
May: Akron/Canton Session
Friday, May 16, 2025 | Saturday, May 17, 2025
June: Cincinnati Session
Friday, June 27, 2025 | Saturday, June 28, 2025
July: Dayton Session
Friday, July 18, 2025 | Saturday, July 19, 2025
August: Capital Session (Columbus, OH)/Homecoming
Friday, August 15, 2025 | Saturday, August 16, 2025
September: Sandusky Session
Friday, September 19, 2025 | Saturday, September 20, 2025
October: Appalachia Session (Southeast, OH)
Friday, October 24, 2025 | Saturday, October 25, 2025
November: Marysville Session/Gahanna Graduation
Friday, November 21, 2025 | Saturday, November 22, 2025
Session Format
Leadership Ohio programming is in person unless otherwise noted. Regarding Covid-19 or other unforeseen circumstances, we are committed to adhering to state and community policies and will also make our own determinations related to health and safety. We do not and will not offer any hybrid sessions, meaning the entire class will meet either in-person or virtually, but not both at the same time. Leadership Ohio reserves the right to adjust its operations to be in-person or virtual, and accordingly, admitted Fellows must commit to be adaptable.
Attendance
Full participation in sessions is expected, however, you may request an excused absence. Attendance at the Opening Retreat is mandatory. If you have any concerns regarding dates or attendance, please reach out to lisaduty@leadershipohio.org to discuss in advance.
Questions?
Please read our FAQ carefully.
Email lisaduty@leadershipohio.org to request additional information or schedule a call to learn more about our program.