Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP)

Today’s competitive environment requires organizations to develop leaders who bring a wide variety of professional and personal experience to the table. ASAE’s answer to that challenge is the Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP).

DELP supports individuals from diverse backgrounds to advance into the ranks of leadership in the association management profession. DELP scholars participate in an accelerated leadership program of education, mentoring, and volunteer service in the association community.

 

Goals and Benefits

DELP seeks to advance the careers of program scholars, help associations develop motivated leaders to fuel organizational success, and enhance the effectiveness of the wider association community. Goals include:

• To provide individuals from identified under-represented groups in the association community (i.e., people of color, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people, people with disabilities) with support, access, and opportunities for leadership.
• To provide the association community with increased access to a diverse pool of talented leaders.

During their two-year term, DELP scholars receive membership in ASAE and registration, travel, and lodging to ASAE annual meetings and other select education programs and events, along with a variety of additional professional development benefits.

 

Eligibility, Application, and Commitment

To be eligible for DELP scholarship, a candidate must be a member of a racial or ethnic minority group, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender, or a person with a disability who is currently employed as a mid- to senior-level association professional. Candidates must have at least three years’ experience in mid- to senior-level association management positions or at least one year as an association CEO. Candidates must have demonstrated professional, volunteer, or civic/community leadership experience and be committed to fully engage in all DELP scholarship benefits.

While membership in ASAE is not a requirement for DELP selection, preference is given to candidates who are ASAE members.

Those accepted into the program commit to participate in a variety of ASAE activities and to pursue CAE certification.

Applications for the 2025-2027 DELP Scholars will be open in February 2025. More Information about eligibility, the application process, and the DELP Scholar Commitment are available on the application platform.

 

Who’s involved?

Meet the new class of 2024-2026, the 2023-2025 Scholars, and the DELP alumni.

 

For more information, contact:

Maunda Land, MBA, CMP, CAE
Vice President, Conscious Inclusion
(202) 626-2796
Email: delp@asaecenter.org

 

Thank you to our sponsor:

Detroit Metro CVB