Become a Leadership Ohio Fellow
Becoming a Leadership Ohio Fellow is a 4 step process: Nomination. Selection. Invitation. Application
1. Nomination
Individuals must be nominated to become a Leadership Ohio Fellow. The individual must be a resident of Ohio or the tri-state area and working in Ohio, and must be at least 30 years of age in order to be nominated. Once nominated, a LO representative will review your nomination to determine you meet t1. Nominationhe criteria. Upon acceptance, you will receive an invitation to apply for Leadership Ohio. Only 35 applicants are accepted into each class of Leadership Ohio each year.
NOTE: If you are not connected to any of the individuals or organizations listed, you may seek a nomination by sending a request and the URL of your LinkedIn profile to info@leadershipohio.org.
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
2. Selection
All nominations are reviewed by LO representatives. Applicants that are selected are admitted in the spirit of forming a diverse and dynamic class where a diversity of viewpoints are encouraged. Seating is limited and only 35 applicants are accepted into each class of Leadership Ohio each year. 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.
3. Invitation
Once an individual is selected, an invitation is sent out asking them to apply. A link to the application form will be provided at that time.
4. Application
At the time of application, a $100 application fee is required. The application fee is non-refundable and non-applicable to tuition, which will be due prior to your training. Check back in October 2026 for the cost of tuition. Leadership Ohio does have a scholarship program that is available on a limitied basis. Learn more about our scholarship Program here.
EARLY ADMISSION: Applications received on or before November 10, 2026 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 December 15, 2026
2027 tenative calendar
All dates, times, and locations are subject to change.
Session times are approximately 9:00am to 7:00pm on Fridays and 9:00am to 1:00pm on Saturdays. The exceptions are the Opening Retreat, which will occur on Thursday from 9:00am to 7:00pm and Homecoming Saturday and Graduation Saturday, which are both scheduled from 9:00am until 4:00pm.
Program runs monthly March 2027 - November 2027 - Check back for 2027 dates/locations
Statehouse Announcement
Opening Retreat
Actual Date & Time TBD
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 at info@leadershipohio.org.