Development of better community problem-solving skills is the goal of the LeadershipPlenty® Institute to be hosted by Virginia Tech's Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement Feb. 10-12, 2008, at The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center in Roanoke, Va.

LeadershipPlenty® is a training program that offers detailed plans for delivering nine highly interactive sessions or "modules" that equip participants with key skills needed for community problem solving. Participants develop expertise in identifying community assets, managing conflict, planning for action, and measuring results during the program.

The curriculum is based on a five-year, half-million-dollar research effort conducted by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change. LeadershipPlenty® has been offered in more than 30 states and in several foreign countries.

Author, speaker, and civic action expert, Suzanne W. Morse, will lead the program. A Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement Fellow, Morse is also president of the Pew Partnership for Civic Change. Her latest book, "Smart Communities: How Citizens and Local Leaders Can Use Strategic Thinking to Build a Brighter Future," uses a common-sense framework and tested examples of successful civic initiatives to argue for a strategic approach to long-term community change. Morse’s expertise has provided solutions to some of the toughest societal issues for cities, towns, and regions across America.

Morse earned her bachelor’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Alabama.

For more information, including how to register, visit the program's Web page. The deadline for registration is Monday, Jan. 28, 2008.

Virginia Tech's Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement plays an important role in developing educational conferences and programs that match university expertise to outside audiences. The center was established in 1994 to foster economic development and continuing education initiatives with a special emphasis on connecting university research to the needs of Virginia's leaders, organizations, and communities through conferences, workshops, and seminars.

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