Austin, Texas - The Potato Leadership, Education, and Advancement Foundation (Potato LEAF) has announced a new program, “Leadership in the Field: From Battlefield to Potato Field,” held July 15-18, at the Gettysburg National Military Park in Gettysburg, Pa.
Throughout the program, participants will not only learn about the elements of the battle as they visit various areas of the battlefield but also how ordinary people were asked to do extraordinary things that impacted the war.
“Potato LEAF is excited to launch Leadership in the Field as a new and unique opportunity to utilize the resources of America’s most revered battlefield to help develop the skills of our industry’s leaders,” stated Potato LEAF’s Chairman of the Board, Gregg Halverson.
The Battle of Gettysburg offers a robust case for the study of leadership: the complexity of battle, the size of the opposing armies, and the wide spectrum of personalities represented by the military leadership and civilians offer a wide range of perspectives. Character, communication, team building, humility, flexibility, resilience, strategic or visionary thinking, problem-solving under pressure, and accountability are a just few of the many lessons for which experiential learning at Gettysburg is effective.
“Pointing out the key components of the war and statistics that I can actually remember two weeks later and the journey they took us on, I feel like I have a better understanding of how the Battle at Gettysburg went down. And to top it all off they were able to make it about leadership too!!!” noted a 2023 Leadership Institute participant on their Gettysburg experience.
Applications are being accepted through March 1, 2024, and are open to anyone in the U.S. potato industry. Participants will be selected with preference given to individuals who have participated in leadership programs and are currently serving or have served in industry leadership roles.
The fee for selected participants is $1,800, which includes all programming by Licensed Battlefield Guides, most meals, and lodging at the Gettysburg Hotel in downtown Gettysburg. The cost of travel is not included in the program fees.
For additional information or to apply, visit https://pleaf.org/leadership-in-the-field.