MARSHALL — Part of building a strong community is encouraging leadership and getting people involved, Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce president Brad Gruhot said. With those goals in mind, the Marshall Area Chamber is bringing back the Marshall Leadership Academy program. Starting this fall, participants will learn about different areas of Marshall’s community and economy, and get hands-on experience working on a community project.

The idea behind the Leadership Academy is to get some new people involved in the Marshall community, as well as to retain potential community leaders, so “They feel like they’re part of the community,” said MACC marketing director Erin Raveling.

The Marshall Leadership Academy was developed by the Chamber in 2002, and ran until 2013.

“We needed the excitement to come back,” Raveling said of the program’s eight-year break.

This fall, the leadership academy is being revived with some format changes. Instead of holding the academy over several weeks, the program will meet for a half day once a month, Raveling said. The program will start in September, and run through May 2022.

Gruhot said each meeting will have a different theme focused on part of the Marshall community and economy, like manufacturing, agriculture, public policy and community safety. The sessions will feature guest speakers like community leaders and businesspeople, and take participants out into the Marshall community to learn more.

Gruhot said participants will also be assigned to a group that will assess community needs and work on a project together with other community members or groups. Participants will present their group projects at graduation in May.

Gruhot said they hope to have about 25 people take part in the Leadership Academy. Applications will require two references, and have a cost of $450 for Chamber members and $550 for non-members. Gruhot said applications are due by May 21, and organizers will be in touch with applicants in June. Applications are available through the Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce.