C3: Calling, Courage & Contribution

Thriving as a POC Organizational Leader

2025 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

DATES: APRIL 28-MAY 2, 2025

LOCATION: COLUMBUS, OHIO

Register   Sneak Peek

Have you ever felt this way?

You wonder if your team understands that diversity is more than good marketing; it’s mission-critical.

You are unsure what your authentic leadership style is and if that leadership style is welcome.

You want your organization to understand your ethnic identity and embrace it, not be distracted by it.

You are ready for feedback and insights from veteran leaders of color who understand.

You yearn to connect and network with other people of color who are leaders on the same journey.

You wonder how long you can hang on as a leader of color and how to discern if you’ve hit a glass ceiling.

C3 is for you.

C3 is the course for leaders of color who are ready to take the next step in their leadership.  You'll experience 4 days of experiential learning designed by trainers with 100+ combined years of leadership development experience.  

Register   Sneak Peek

C3 Participants will:

  • Discern the unique matrix of their ethnic identity, personality, faith, and leadership journeys.
  • Develop a culture map to navigate their organization’s systems and maximize their contribution to their organization’s mission.
  • Be invited to speak candidly about their personal successes and failures and those of their organizations.
  • Walk away with a personal development plan (PDP) aimed at personal growth and leadership development that poises them for “their dream job” in their organization.

Our program integrates assessment tools, lectures, simulations, coaching individualized feedback, and personal reflection times so that participants can immediately apply their learning when they return.

HAPPENING

April 28-May 2, 2025

LOCATION

Columbus, Ohio

days

4

TUITION

$3,300

Register

5 hours

Pre-Course

3 weeks before the course begins you will:

  • Talk with your leadership using provided questions about what you could learn that is specific to your organization.
  • Take the Cultural Values and Cultural Intelligence and CliftonStrengths Assessment. (45m)

4 days

Course

Together with assessments, trainers, and cohort members you will:

  • Engage in Scripture, prayer, and community for spiritual insight
  • Hone your leadership style so that it reflects your identities and values.
  • Learn to engage leadership, major donors, and constituents with your authentic voice.
(Plan to leave the work at work! We will keep you busy and the most valuable insights are gained over meals and coffee breaks.)

Lifetime

Post-Course

Authentic transformation doesn’t happen in a week, so after the course you'll have access to:

  • Executive coaching*
  • 2 Virtual Cohort Meetings
  • Discounts on key tools
  • Free resources on our website

(* Discounted Fee)

Questions? Contact C3@intervarsity.org

Meet the Faculty

The core training team have decades of executive experience in ministry organizations with backgrounds in communication, team development, and spiritual formation.

It has been a pleasure to work with Phil. It is rare to find a person whose thinking and praxis about racial and ethnic conflict and conciliation is rooted in scriptures and the Holy Spirit. Moreover, his experience working with Christians of diverse backgrounds promotes the capacity to talk about race, ethnicity, and history, hoping that all can move forward in a healthy and restorative matter.

Nicholas Rowe, PhD | Former Associate Vice President for Student and Global Engagement

Become a C3 Leader

Register for this truly one-of-a-kind highly interactive experience and take the next step in integrating your ethnic identity and professional development.

Register

Organizations That Have Attended

FAQs

This course is designed for leaders of color in Christian organizations who: 

  • desire to explore the intersection of their faith and their ethnic identity 
  • want to expand their effectiveness and their responsibility in their own organization 
  • yearn to connect to others like themselves 
  • are open to clear affirmation and honest feedback.

It will best serve those:

  • who are 30-45 years old
  • who have 8+ years of organizational experience 
  • who currently serve mostly in the intermediate level of their respective organizations (e.g. “middle managers" who are responsible for controlling and running the organization).  

If you have more questions about fit, please contact us for an assessing conversation.

Leaders of color have unique challenges and difficulties in both finding and attaining success at higher levels of management. The materials, training, coaching, discussion and outcomes of this course is designed to to serve them and their needs.  

NOTE: if you are White and wish to receive comparable training, please contact us for more information. Although we do not currently offer such a course for White participants, we do offer assessments, training, tool, and coaching that would help (almost) anyone be more prepared for higher levels of management. 

The cost of this course is $3300: this fee includes onsite materials, all meals during the conference (snacks, lunches, and dinners). It does not include your travel and accommodations.  
While we will book participants’ hotel reservations after registration is complete, registrants are responsible for the cost of the rooms, along with all incidental costs and parking.

Generally, courses like C3, which increase your value to your organization, are fully or heavily subsidized by your organization. 

Have a conversation with your supervisor. We have created a letter that you can give to your supervisor that gives a clear and thoughtful rationale for how attending will benefit you personally and the organization as well.

If they are intrigued or have questions, have them contact us for more information.

Yes! Partial scholarships are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please email us to express your interest and need.

Yes! All the assessment and coaching services in this course (e.g. Cultural Intelligence, Cultural Values, CliftonStrengths Assessment, Identity and Faith), along with others (unconscious bias, ongoing career development, supervising your supervisor) will continue to be available on an à la carte basis. 

We also offer the same assessment and coaching services for organizations who desire to be more welcoming, understanding, and accommodating to people of color.

Contact us us for more information.

We're thankful you're looking for ways to invest in leaders of color! We're a little biased, but yes - it's a great investment. We've prepared a letter to explain more.

If you have more questions, please contact us.

Yes! We've helped Christian colleges, youth ministries, and other mission agencies that want to grow in their pursuit of biblical diversity. The InterVarsity institute can provide:

  • Consultation & Assessment: Many ministries want to reflect God's diverse kingdom, but their culture and operations do not reflect their hopes. Institute consultants can help you develop a plan to address your organization's cultural competency, theological foundations, and spiritual vitality.
  • Executive Coaching: Building a diverse team and supervising across cultures requires more than good intentions. Institute coaches offer decades of leadership experience and biblical reflection to the people they coach.
  • Training: Institute programs target key diversity and belonging skills, which impact hiring and retention. Programs include:
    • SHIFT– A New Paradigm for Biblical Belonging: SHIFT Training equips ministries to develop core inclusion/belonging skills.
    • Supervising People of Color: Equip managers to succeed in cross-cultural supervision with insights from the Cultural Intelligence Assessment.
    • Seeing Truthfully: Ministries sabotage diversity dreams before the hiring process begins. Prepare managers to avoid implicit biases and to implement changes and control-based interventions.

If you have more questions, please contact us.

$400 (non-refundable fee) after March 24, 2025.

Among the organizations that we have hosted are: Navigators, World Vision, Young Life, Cru, Wycliffe, Chi Alpha, and Vineyard Columbus.

Questions? Contact C3@intervarsity.org