Notre Dame and Military Spouse Advocacy Network Launch Second Leadership Course for Military Spouses

The Military Spouse Advocacy Network's partnership with the University of Notre Dame has launched its second online course for military spouses, continuing their collaborative effort to provide specialized leadership training. Following the successful July launch of a mental wellness course developed by Notre Dame's William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families and Veldman Family Psychology Clinic, the new offering titled Ethical Leadership with Notre Dame represents another milestone in this multidisciplinary initiative.

The ethical leadership course was developed through collaboration between Notre Dame Learning's Office of Digital Learning and faculty from the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership at the Mendoza College of Business. The course covers essential topics including conflict management, voicing values at work, and honesty and empathy in decision-making, reflecting NDDCEL's mission to inform, equip, and inspire values-based leadership. Both courses are delivered through a combination of asynchronous content and live sessions, providing flexibility for military spouses while maintaining interactive learning opportunities.

Jessica McManus Warnell, Rex and Alice A. Martin Faculty Director of the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership, emphasized the custom curriculum developed specifically for military spouses to enhance career readiness and leadership in their organizations and communities. The course features insights from faculty experts, including several who are veterans and spouses themselves, providing strategies for participants to become powerful agents for positive change. McManus Warnell serves as instructor alongside Kristen Collett-Schmitt, associate dean for undergraduate and specialized master's programs in the Mendoza College of Business.

The impact of the initial mental wellness course has been significant, with instructor Donna Armentrout from the Veldman Family Psychology Clinic reporting that military spouse learners have had the opportunity to practice mental health conversations and receive real-time feedback from clinical psychology doctoral students under faculty supervision. This hands-on approach has created an enriching experience for both learners and facilitators, demonstrating the effectiveness of the program's design.

The Notre Dame-MSAN partnership represents a comprehensive campus project involving faculty and staff from 10 university organizations, spearheaded and resourced by Notre Dame Research with support from multiple departments including the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs and the College of Arts and Letters. For more information on the Leadership Institute for Military Spouses and its programs, visit https://www.leadershipinstituteformilitaryspouses.org.

Verenice Castillo, founder, CEO, and president of MSAN, expressed pride in welcoming Notre Dame to the MSAN family, noting that their commitment to the military community will empower dedicated individuals to continue making profound differences in their lives and communities. The partnership aims to build an army of strong community leaders, mentors, and advocates through dedicated training and support, ultimately fostering a culture of leadership, service, mentorship, and advocacy among military spouses nationwide.