Leadership McKinney Application - McKinney Chamber of Commerce

Leadership McKinney Application

Engaging leaders today for a stronger community tomorrow

Thank you for your interest in applying for the Leadership McKinney Class of 2026!

The objective of Leadership McKinney is to provide McKinney with a diverse group of individuals, representing all sectors of our community, who are committed to assuming a greater responsibility for the future of our city as a community trustee. Community Trusteeship are Leaders committing themselves to making their community a better place for all.

This challenging educational experience is designed to:

• Develop your awareness of the McKinney community

• Provide you with individual leadership training

• Enhance networking for positive accomplishments throughout the community

• Instill the practice of volunteer service in each participant

Participants will actively engage in a wide variety of topics which may challenge their current thinking, beliefs, or both. Active participation will result in becoming more informed, more connected, and more engaged in our community.

Candidate Eligibility for Acceptance into the Program:

• Must live and / or work in McKinney or its incorporated extraterritorial jurisdiction.

• Cannot be an elected official or running for office at the time of the application process.

• Must be willing and able to commit the time necessary to complete the program.

Mandatory time commitments are outlined in the application.

The application fee is due at time of application completion but no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, 2025. The selection committee will review applications as received and will begin candidate phone and/or in person interviews. After a formal selection process, applicants will be notified in June of acceptance into the program.

If you have questions about the program, the attendance requirements, or the application, please contact me at the Chamber: bdelk@mckinneychamber.com or 972.542.0163.

Fields marked with an * are required.

Application Fee

Application Fee *

Class of 2026 Application

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION: May 1, 2025 - 5:00 pm

$75.00 Non-refundable Application Fee must accompany application.

Please notate which credit card option you would like to use:

Billing Name *

Credit Card Number *

Expiration Date *

CVV Code *

Billing Address *

City *

State *

Zip Code *

Amount of Charge *

Financial Aid

McKinney Chamber Financial Assistance Requested *

The Leadership McKinney Scholarship Committee, facilitated by the Leadership Alumni Network, offers partial financial assistance of up to $800.

**A portion of the annual alumni dues is earmarked to support program candidates who may face financial barriers to participate.

Yes

Reason for request for Financial Aid

Please indicate the reason that you are requesting financial support if you are selected for the Leadership McKinney Program.

Participation & Commitment

Leadership McKinney Class 2026: Acknowledgment of Expectations *

ATTENDANCE:

Attendance at monthly sessions and all other required activities is mandatory for Leadership McKinney participants. The 1 & 1/2-day Opening Retreat on August 22 & 23, 2025, and the Closing Session on May 7, 2025, are compulsory, with no exceptions. Please refer to the class calendar for details.

Note: While we understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, participants who miss more than two class sessions or the equivalent of 18 hours will not be eligible for graduation.

TUITION:

Tuition for Leadership McKinney is $1,600 for Chamber members and $1,750 for non-Chamber members. Full payment is required upon acceptance and no later than August 3, 2025. If needed, a payment plan can be requested. For payment inquiries, please contact Linda Imai-Dixon, McKinney Chamber Finance Director, at 972.542.0163 or limaidixon@mckinneychamber.com.

Payments can be made via credit card or check payable to McKinney Chamber of Commerce. Please note that tuition payments are non-refundable, and late payments will result in forfeiture of participation.

Please provide the name, organization, and mailing address for the invoice to be mailed to.

EMPLOYER COMMITMENT

It is important that an applicant’s employer be committed to allowing the prospective class member the time off necessary to complete graduation requirements.

***Please ensure that your immediate supervisor acknowledge the Employer Commitment Form and reviews a copy of the class calendar.

PERSONAL REFERENCE

You must obtain ONE reference, OTHER THAN YOUR EMPLOYER, for your application to be complete. ***Please provide your reference using the Recommendation Form. They need to complete the form fully to be accepted. They will receive a confirmation email once received.

SCHOLARSHIP AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Scholarship Opportunities: The McKinney Area Democratic Club & Leadership McKinney Scholarship.

Financial Assistance: Partial financial assistance may be available through the Leadership McKinney Alumni Network.

***If interested in these opportunities, complete the sponsorship or tuition assistance section while completing your application.

DEADLINE

Your application packet must be completed (application, recommendation letters, etc.) and sent no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wed, May 1, 2025.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please reach out to:

Late or incomplete application packets will not be considered. Your packet should include: (1) completed application with acknowledgments, (2) application fee and (3) Two recommendation(s) personal & employer (if applicable), (4) If interested/needed, scholarship and/or financial requests.

I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE COMMITMENT OF LEADERSHIP MCKINNEY AND THE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS. IF SELECTED I WILL FULFILL ALL OBLIGATIONS AND WILL PAY MY UITION UPON ACCEPTANCE.

Acknowledgement

Leadership McKinney 2025/2026 Calendar *

LEADERSHIP MCKINNEY 2025/2026 CALENDAR

Regular Sessions 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Topics include Government, Economic & Community Development, Ethics,

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Healthcare, Regionalism, Education,

Leadership Training & Decision Making, Conflict Management, Community Awareness

NEW CLASS ORIENTATION & ALUMNI RECEPTION - August 7, 2025

Sponsor & Host: The Body Shop Collision & Repair

700 N. McDonald / McKinney, TX / 75069

5:30 - 7:30 pm

LEADERSHIP BEGINS

OPENING CLASS RETREAT - MANDATORY

AUGUST 22 (full day) & 23 (half day), 2025

Location: The Landing - Myers Park & Event Center

7117 County Road 166 / McKinney, TX / 75071

CLASS SESSION DATES

Thurs, Aug 7: New Class Orientation & Alumni Reception

Fri, Aug 22 & 23: Opening Retreat MANDATORY

Thurs, Sept 4: City Day

Thurs, Oct 2: Economic & Community Development

Thurs, Nov 6: State of the City

Thurs, Dec 4: Education & Workforce

Thurs, Jan 8: Healthy & Equitable Community

Thurs, Feb 5: SIMSOC

Thurs, Mar 5: LM Annual Regional Day

Thurs, April 2 & 3rd: Legislative Day

Thurs, May 7: Servant Leadership, Self-Reflection MANDATORY

Thurs, May 14: GRADUATION

Class members are also required to attend:

McKinney City Council meeting AND a Planning & Zoning meeting

McKinney ISD OR Collin College Board of Trustees meeting

Collin County Commissioners Court meeting

Note: Circumstances may arise requiring an absence. Class members who miss more

than two class sessions or the equivalent hours (18) will no longer

be a part of the program and will not graduate.

CONTENT & DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Application Questions

Name *

Street Address *

City *

State *

Zip Code

In which McKinney district do you currently live? *

Home or Cell Phone *

Date of Birth *

Gender *

(Applicant cannot be denied based on this information)

Ethnicity *

(Applicant cannot be denied based on this information)

Years working in McKinney *

Years residing in McKinney *

Present Employer *

Job Title *

Business Phone *

Business Address *

Preferred Mail Address *

Work Email Address *

Personal Email Address *

Have you previously applied Leadership McKinney? *

If yes, when?

Industry, Position, and Organization Details *

Leadership McKinney seeks to provide a diverse class of participants to represent all sectors of our community.

Describe your:

Industry type
Your position/responsibilities at your current employer
What is the total number of employees at your organization.

No documents outside of application to be submitted by applicants.

Community Involvement *

List community, civic, professional, educational and/or religious organizations in which you have been an active participant WITHIN THE PAST THREE YEARS. (If you are new to McKinney, list activities you were involved with in your previous community.)

Include: Organization, Dates Involved, Nature of Participation (if you held a leadership role please indicate what that was)

Special Honors/Awards (business, professional, educational, civic, other) *

What would you consider your most significant contribution to the community (or former communities.) *

What civic/community involvement do you expect to be involved in five years from now? *

YOUR PERSPECTIVE *

Answer all of the following questions. Limit your answers to 50 words or less.

What do you consider the three (3) most significant challenges facing McKinney today?

Choosing one of the above 3 issues *

How might the community go about addressing this challenge? (200 words or less)

Strengths

What strengths do you bring to the table to assist you in being part of the solution? (200 words or less)

McKinney Area Democratic Club Sponsorship

McKinney Area Democratic Club - Scholarship Application *

McKinney Area Democratic Club Leadership McKinney Scholarship Application

Thank you for your interest in applying for the McKinney Area Democratic Club Leadership McKinney Scholarship. In awarding this full-tuition scholarship, the selection committee will search for a recipient who believes in hard work, integrity, community service, and the importance of lifelong learning.

Applicant Must:

● Live in McKinney

● Attend all class sessions and complete other course work and activities in full

● Be a person of color

Please choose the option that aligns most closely with your answer.

Full Name

Email Address

Cell Phone

Mailing Address

Q2: How do you envision your time in Leadership McKinney helping to create a better life....

How do you envision your time in Leadership McKinney helping to create a better life for you and your community?

Q1: Do you support the policies and plans of the Texas Democratic Party to provide....

Do you support the policies and plans of the Texas Democratic Party to provide a functioning government that uses facts and evidence to write and uphold laws designed to preserve the life, health, and well-being of every person?

Yes

Q3: What are your future plans for working/serving in the McKinney area community?

What are your future plans for working/serving in the McKinney area community?

Please verify that you have checked the “I'm not a robot” checkbox.