POTSDAM -- The St. Lawrence Leadership Institute at SUNY Potsdam is getting ready to host a networking reception to celebrate its current class of rising leaders and welcome back alumni of the program. Anyone interested in finding out about this unique professional development opportunity is also invited to attend.

The reception will be offered on Tuesday, March 13 from 5 to 7 p.m., in the Knowles Conference Center at SUNY Potsdam.

"This is our opportunity to welcome anyone who wants to learn more about how this program brings people together to move our county forward," said Joshua LaFave '03, the executive director of SUNY Potsdam's Division of Graduate and Continuing Education, who is himself an alumnus of both the College and the institute.

The St. Lawrence Leadership Institute is a partnership between SUNY Potsdam and the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce. Its mission is to provide a venue for those committed to the county's growth and quality of life, where professionals can develop an awareness of the issues facing the county, and dedicate themselves to personal self-discovery and developing leadership skills.

The St. Lawrence Leadership Institute networking reception is free, and members of the public are invited to attend. To RSVP for this event, please visit slliconnects.eventbrite.com.

SLLI will welcome two guest speakers at the reception, Erin Covell and Rose Rivezzi, who will both speak about leadership and their visions for the future of the region.

About the speakers:

Erin Covell is a guidance counselor at Massena Central School and president of the Massena Federation of Teachers. She is also the leader of the People Project, a coalition-building initiative aimed at revitalizing St. Lawrence County. The ambitious project is backed by the American Federation of Teachers. Covell will share the goals of the People Project and discuss how it ties in with the institute.

Rose Rivezzi will also speak at the reception, sharing her thoughts about leadership in the county. She is currently in her second term serving on the Potsdam Town Council and is one of the founders of one of the community's newest businesses, Big Spoon Kitchen, which she recently opened with her son after a successful career as an educator.

For more information about the St. Lawrence Leadership Institute, please contact SUNY Potsdam's Division of Graduate and Continuing Education, at (315) 267-4722 or gradcon@potsdam.edu. To find out more or apply for next year's class, visit www.potsdam.edu/slli.