Develop Powerful Skills and Community Support: Join SPARC's Leadership Institute!

We still have a few available slots for the 2024 SPARC Leadership Institute which begins Wednesday, November 6, 2024! If you've been on the fence about joining this one-of-a-kind professional development course, it's time to take that leap and invest in your future. Led by David Sullivan, Karen McCann McClelland, and Bob Rojee--SPARC's expert team of Senior Advisors--The Leadership Institute is a comprehensive deep dive into the skills and practices needed to create and grow the most impactful auxiliary programs possible.

To illustrate the tremendous value participants receive from Leadership Institute, we asked three graduates--Katie McLean, Nate Edmunds, and Cherie Dioguardie--to share what they learned and how they continue to benefit from joining the Institute. 

Build and Deepen Your Skill Set

When she became the Associate Coordinator of Auxiliary Programs at St. Mark's School, Katie had been involved with independent schools her whole life, but was new to the auxiliary world and eager to learn. Attending the Leadership Institute helped her "get a little closer to the high bar" set by her St. Mark's colleagues, Bob Rojee and Kristi Jacobi. 

“I don’t have any business experience, so that side of things was very intriguing and helpful. I had attended webinars and roundtables and got pieces of it, but to have it all delivered at the same time and being able to connect with people who were in the same boat as me, it’s so valuable and so helpful. I used all of the tools and that David and (the team) taught us to get programs going, to help me get rentals happening, it helped me get acclimated to the whole world of auxiliary.”

Cherie Dioguardi came to the Leadership Institute as an experienced professional, having worked in the industry since 2011. She said she "wanted to delve into all of the aspects I already knew" about working as an auxiliary director.

“I’m a one-man show," Cherie said, "and the programs I run are very successful, but I knew they could be even bigger and better if there was additional support for me. So I joined to learn more about the business part of it, more of the nitty-gritty like budgets and spreadsheets, how to understand the financial aspect of the job better."

Learning about SPARC's Forced Ranking Tool was particularly helpful for Cherie. She used it with several departments in her school and has found to it be invaluable for focusing on the highest priorities for her programs. And although she already had a strong business background, the "clearer focus” she gained from the Institute sparked a great conversation with her CFO, and now she looks even more closely at her programs through a business lens.

Develop a Supportive Network of Peers

Nate became Director of Auxiliary Programming at The Park School in 2023. "Because I was new to the school--and the position was new at the school--I just needed some professional development and support with that.” Although he had great support from his school, he felt his biggest priority was to develop external support from a network of peers. He signed up for the Leadership Institute to build that network while also learning skills and best practices.

“It’s really helpful to connect with people in similar positions at different schools. It helps contextualize the work you’re doing, and I think in a lot of schools you can get bogged down in the challenges of your own position. It’s so helpful to see your job in light of a much broader context, the auxiliary world in general.”

By connecting with other auxiliary professionals in the Leadership Institute, Nate said he learned what common challenges directors face, what questions all directors should be asking, what tools should they all have, and other crucial aspects of being a director to help him build the best programs possible.

Cherie appreciated how eager everyone was to share their knowledge. “I liked to how every week we had a folder on the topic and the directors could upload their job descriptions or their budget template or whatever, and I found that really helpful."

An added plus--there's no expiration date to the shared folders. They are always available. "I still have my SPARC Leadership folder on my Google drive," Cherie said. "I can go back and look at something related to risk management, I can go back and look at that folder and I have all those tools right there.” 

Learn from Experienced Auxiliary Leaders

All three graduates praised the Institute's leaders for their commitment and deep knowledge of the industry. 

“Bob, Karen, and David are remarkable," Nate said. "They’re really generous with their time.” When struggling to establish a partnership at his school, Nate reached out to them for advice. Within a few days, he was on a half-hour call with all three and got the support he needed. He has also received personal guidance from Karen to help with a summer program.

Cherie appreciated how all three brought different, complementary backgrounds to the course: David as a former Head of School, Karen with her strong background in camps, and Bob with his keen business acumen. "They bring in all different perspectives that mesh together," she said.

“These three are amazing," Nate said. "Time with them in itself is really worth it. They invest in this and they have become great mentors to me."

Katie agreed. "They all genuinely want you to succeed in your role and in your school.” 

Build Confidence to Innovate and Elevate Your Programs

The Leadership Institute has paid off in tangible ways for each graduate. 

Katie presented a bold new idea to her CFO using the skills she learned in the Leadership Institute. She saw that a concert series wasn't bringing in any money, so she pitched replacing it with an after school program to attract students, make a name in the community, and generate revenue.

Cherie used her new knowledge to pitch to her supervisor why she needed a new full-time employee, and he forwarded the request to the finance committee. “He’s completely onboard. I was able to prove to him with financials that the program was able to pay for this individual.” 

After connecting in the Institute, Nate and Katie realized they had a common challenge--implementing strategies for facilities rentals.

“We basically took the conversations that started [during the Institute] and it became a framework for the National Conference presentation." They used their knowledge and experience to create an Ignite Session: "Rentals 101: The Magic Rentals Bus Goes to SPARC!" 

“I think it would be nearly impossible to do this and not take away something," Katie said, "whether it’s connections with people in your world, whether it’s learning business information and tools, whether it’s establishing yourself and your school further in with SPARC.”

Cherie added, "I try to do everything with SPARC I can do. It’s the only way to grow in my job because SPARC is the only organization bringing this kind of support to auxiliary professionals."

Ready to join the Leadership Institute? Click here for more information and to register. We hope to see you there!

Not yet a SPARC member school? Save $200 on Leadership Institute registration by first becoming a valued member! Gain access throughout the year to professional development tools, webinars, roundtables, and unparalleled community support.