Sojourn Leadership
Academy Nominations


Sojourn Leadership Academy is designed for early- to mid-career professional women who are interested in strengthening their leadership capacity and expanding their impact within their organizations and the broader Dayton community.

Who can nominate:

Members of YWCA Dayton’s Circle of Influence and Board of Directors may each nominate up to three (3) women for consideration each year. Once a nomination is submitted, YWCA Dayton notifies the nominee and, if she would like to be considered, invites her to complete an application.

Who should be nominated:

  • Nominees for Sojourn Leadership Academy should:

  • Be early- to mid-career professional women who are interested in strengthening their leadership capacity

  • Display a commitment to the YWCA mission of eliminating racism and empowering women

  • Have a strong desire and potential for intentional, change-agent leadership in her profession and community

  • Demonstrate a strong desire and potential for civic engagement and social responsibility around racial justice, gender justice, and economic empowerment

  •   Be able to commit to an intensive, nine-month, tuition-based leadership cohort

  • Nominees cannot be currently serving on the YWCA Dayton Board of Directors. Women from diverse backgrounds, sectors, and experiences are welcomed and encouraged to apply.

What happens next:

APPLICATION DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 27, 2026

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF ACCEPTANCE WILL BE MADE BY: October 1, 2026

Final applications are due by September 27, 2026. Once your nomination is submitted, YWCA Dayton notifies the nominee and, if she would like to be considered, invites her to apply to join the program. Please ensure you make your nomination within a timeframe that allows your nominee to submit an application following your nomination. Finalists for each year’s class are selected by the all-volunteer Development Committee. Once the class has been chosen and accepted, nominators will be notified of final results.

If you have additional questions, reach out to Alisa Vukasinovich at avukasinovich@ywcadayton.org.