Leadership Education in America Program (LEAP) is an America for Bulgaria Foundation–designed and –funded program, which provides practical learning experience in the US for Bulgarian professionals from the public, private, and NGO sectors. LEAP aims to support the potential of active early- and mid-career Bulgarians with ideas and determination to improve the communities they live in and to make a positive difference in Bulgaria.
What is LEAP?
You don’t have to be a CEO or a manager to be a leader. We don’t expect that you were born with some innate quality that allows you to lead better than others. Leadership is about creating and sustaining positive, lasting change around you – for yourselves, your communities and Bulgaria.
This program is designed to help participants develop leadership skills and harness their potential to successfully communicate ideas to others, to inspire and unite others around their vision for the greater good, and to foster a culture of mutual respect and cooperation.
Through LEAP, the Foundation further contributes to a stronger civil society and business-enabling environment in Bulgaria. Find out more about the first edition of the program.
LEAP includes a training program at Babson College in Boston, MA, and a cultural immersion program in New York, NY, and is open to applicants from all walks of life.
Partners
ABF’s LEAP program is conducted by and hosted at Babson College, a premier American educational institution located in Boston, MA. Since its founding over a century ago, Babson College has pioneered the field of entrepreneurship and leadership education and instilled in its students an entrepreneurial mindset — the most powerful force for creating economic and social change. For more than 30 years, Babson has held the U.S. News and World Report Number 1 ranking spot in entrepreneurship education for both its undergraduate and graduate programs. Babson has also achieved considerable success in its executive education programs, both domestically and internationally.
News
Seventeen Bulgarian professionals from the public, private, and NGO sectors will take part in the second edition of the America for Bulgaria Foundation’s Leadership Education in America Program (LEAP) in the spring of 2024.
After navigating through three highly competitive rounds, these individuals have proven themselves to be standout candidates, demonstrating their exceptional skills, experiences, and potential for leadership. Their selection underscores their commitment to personal and professional growth, as well as their capacity to make a meaningful impact in their communities and Bulgaria as a whole. This cohort of 17 individuals represents a diverse and talented group, poised to contribute significantly to the program and beyond.
This year’s LEAP participants were selected out of a pool of 318 exceptional applicants.
The 17 approved participants are:
Blagovesta | Tsenova | NGO sector |
Blazhka | Trepetanova | Private sector |
Danail | Marinov | Private sector |
Darina | Gerasimova | Private sector |
Dilyana | Marcheva | Private sector |
Dilyana | Maneva | NGO sector |
Dora | Ivanova | NGO sector |
Gergana | Manolova | Private sector |
Mariya | Hristova | NGO sector |
Mihail | Milchev | Private sector |
Mihail | Stanev | Private sector |
Mila | Topalova-Marinova | NGO sector |
Pavel | Georgiev | Private sector |
Radoslav | Koychev | Private sector |
Tsvetomir | Nenov | Public sector |
Vladimir | Tzvetkov | Private sector |
Zhivko | Voynov | Private sector |
The America for Bulgaria Foundation is now accepting applications for the second edition of its Leadership Education in America Program, conducted in partnership with Babson College.
“Entrepreneurial leadership goes hand in hand with a relentless optimism about the world. Entrepreneurial leaders are not just risk managers; they are experts at navigating uncertainty. They have a positive outlook about the future, as they are always trying to improve things.”
Babson College
For а second year in a row, Leadership Education in America Program (LEAP) will enable early- to mid-career Bulgarian professionals from the public, private, and NGO sectors to learn from the experience of the world’s leading provider of entrepreneurial leadership education. For more than a century, Babson College has equipped its students with the entrepreneurial mindset and tools to drive positive change for communities worldwide.
Bulgarian professionals up to 40 years of age with at least five years of professional experience in the public, private, and NGO sectors are eligible to apply in LEAP’s second edition. Ideal candidates will possess demonstrated professional success in their field of work, an entrepreneurial mindset, commitment to socially significant causes, and fluency in English.
If you meet the requirements, you can apply by November 7, 2023 in the section ‘Apply for the program’ below.
Testimonials
Forthcoming edition
Apply for the Program
The application deadline has elapsed. Please check the timeline of the program for further information.
- Bulgarian citizens with a university degree, living and working in Bulgaria
- Bulgarian professionals from the public, private, and NGO sectors with ideas to improve local communities and/or Bulgaria
- Fluency in English (as the program is conducted in English without interpretation)
- Up to 40 years of age
- Minimum of 5 years of professional experience
- No prior undergraduate or postgraduate study in the United States
- High personal and professional integrity
- Critical thinking, an open and experimental mindset, and strong interpersonal skills, and ability to work in a team.
We encourage eligible applicants from all walks of life and all locations in Bulgaria.
Note: Those who have participated in other ABF-funded programs in the US are not eligible to apply.
- Motivation — why people do what they do.
- Influence skills — how to engage with and influence different kinds of people.
- Collaboration/stakeholder engagement — working well with others.
- Negotiation — getting people to work with you through appealing to the core concerns and motives.
- Personal development planning — how to get better results and how to contribute to the group and its goals.
- Solving complex problems — understanding that even the most complex problems are solvable with diverse groups working together.
- Building collective goals — participants will work on setting ambitious goals and working together to address a communal goal.
- Sessions with specially selected guest speakers and leaders from the US public (government), private, and nonprofit sectors and academia.
- Sessions on: system thinking, advancing ideas, leading with empathy, leading through relationships, incorporating a “bottoms up” approach, managing one’s self, enrolling communities in innovation, innovation during good time and bad, storytelling with pathos, ethos and logos, personal branding, etc.
- A module on democratic values — where participants take on the role of a US Senator or Representative in a simulation and engage in a conference committee, taking part in the process of reconciling legislative bills from the two chambers of Congress. As the participants consider issues of policy, they learn fundamental concepts of successful negotiation aimed at identifying areas of common interest and expanding beneficial outcomes.
- Cultural immersion program in Boston and New York.
The key selection criteria are:
- Demonstrated leadership potential
- Demonstrated strong civic and community engagement
- Demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit and clear sense of purpose
- Demonstrated vision of how to personally effect positive change in Bulgaria upon return (e.g. in the applicant’s local community or in their field of work, etc.)
The submitted applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a selection committee comprised of members of the America for Bulgaria Foundation (ABF) and external evaluators from partner organizations such as: the Association of Bulgarian Leaders and Entrepreneurs (ABLE), the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law (BCNL), the Bulgarian Entrepreneurial Association (BESCO), Fulbright Bulgaria, the Institute for Market Economics (IME), the Trust for Social Achievement (TSA), and Babson College, USA. The final selection will be made by Babson College, USA.
A four-stage evaluation is planned as follows:
- Stage 1: Review of submitted applications, eligibility check, and shortlisting of applicants to be interviewed by a selection committee of ABF and partner organizations representatives.
- Stage 2: Video interviews with shortlisted applicants and selection of up to 40 participants for a two-hour virtual module led by Babson College faculty*.
- Stage 3: Participation in a two-hour virtual module, led by Babson College Faculty, ending with an individual assignment that will be evaluated by Babson College.
- Stage 4: Final selection of up to 17 participants who will travel to the US for the 17-day LEAP program at Babson College.
*The goal of the two-hour virtual module is to expose a larger pool of participants to the expertise of the Babson College faculty and introduce more people to the concepts of simultaneously creating social and economic value and Babson’s Entrepreneurial Thought & Action Methodology (ET&A). ET&A is a methodology that teaches participants to balance action, experimentation, and creativity with a deep understanding of business fundamentals and analysis to create maximum economic and social value. In addition to the new knowledge delivered by a premier educational institution such as Babson College, every participant in the virtual module will receive an individual leadership skills assessment by Babson College based on the submitted assignments.
Applicants are required to apply through the program’s landing page by filling in all fields.
Program Announcement: | 5 October 2023 |
Deadline for applicants to submit questions: | 10 October 2023 |
Application Deadline: | 07 November 2023 |
Stage 1: Announcing shortlisted applicants for video interviews: | 15 December 2023 |
Stage 2: Interviews with shortlisted applicants: | 08–15 January 2024 |
Stage 3: Announcing the selection of up to 40 participants in the two-hour online training module: | 19 January 2024 |
Two-hour virtual training modules: | 23 January 2024 24 January 2024 |
Stage 4: Announcing the final selection of up to 17 participants in the US program: | 16 February 2024 |
Tentative dates for the pre-departure orientation: | 23–24 March 2024 |
Tentative travel dates in the US: | 14-30 April 2024 |
The America for Bulgaria Foundation covers all costs associated with the program, including tuition and study materials, international airfare and domestic travel in the US, accommodation, meals, organized cultural immersion activities, emergency health insurance, US visa fee.
In order to travel to the US, the selected participants must possess or obtain a US B1/B2 visa. Applicants do not have to possess a US visa to apply for the program. Selected participants who do not possess a valid US B1/B2 visa can apply after being selected for the US program. The America for Bulgaria Foundation will reimburse the US visa fee.
All selected participants for the US program must attend a pre-departure orientation in a chosen location, which will be held a few weeks prior to departure to the US. In addition, prior to departure, every selected participant will have a 1- to 1.5-hour individual interview with Babson College faculty to define the level of the group and customize the content of the program.
Upon return from the United States, participants will be encouraged to implement in Bulgaria the acquired knowledge and skills for the public good in Bulgaria and the local community where the participants work and/or live. The Foundation will provide opportunities for the LEAP program participants to stay connected and to network with professionals in their area(s) of interest, including business, local government, and civil society leaders and organizations.
Previous editions
US President John F. Kennedy once remarked that “leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
The inaugural class of Leadership Education in America Program (LEAP) is well aware of this important relationship. Their pursuit of lifelong learning is one leadership trait that impressed the jury in all three of the program’s selection stages.
The following fifteen individuals were selected to participate in the America for Bulgaria Foundation’s inaugural leadership development opportunity for Bulgarians of high potential:
Ana Alexieva, NGO sector
Atanas Georgiev, public sector
Aylin Dzhafer, NGO sector
Boryana Peycheva, private sector
Fani Bachvarova, private sector
Georgi Kadrev, private sector
Georgi Penchev, private sector
Georgi Toskov, public sector
Lyubomira Vutkova, private sector
Petar Vanev, public sector
Philip Hitov, public sector
Raya Tsvetkova, NGO sector
Savina Ezekieva, private sector
Vesela Deyanova, NGO sector
Viktoriya Viktorova, private sector
Launched in fall of 2022, the program’s first edition received a record 410 applications.
FAQ
Q: Are there any specific requirements for the applicants?
A: Applicants must be Bulgarian citizens from all walks of life, residing in Bulgaria, fluent in English, and compliant with the requirements set out in Section ‘Who is this program for?’.
Q: Do applicants for the LEAP program need to have a business or social entrepreneurship idea at the time of application?
A: No. Applicants for the LEAP program do not necessarily need to have a business or social entrepreneurship idea to participate in the program, but participants are expected to actively engage in creating social value in Bulgaria upon return from the US.
Q: Can applicants who have studied in the US apply for the LEAP Program?
A: The LEAP Program is designed for candidates who have not studied at a college or university in the US. Also, please note that participants who have participated in exchange programs in the US funded by the America for Bulgaria Foundation are not eligible to apply.
Q: Can unsuccessful applicants from previous year apply for the program?
A: Yes. All applicants that meet the eligibility criteria listed above are welcome to apply.
Q: Do I need an international passport and a US visa to apply for the program?
A: All applicants must have a valid international passport expiring at least another 6 months after the applicant has been approved for the program in the US. Participants do not need to possess a U.S. visa prior to applying for the program. The selected participants who have been approved for the program will need to apply for the appropriate type of US visa. They are responsible for covering the visa fees themselves; however, once they are in the US, the visa fee will be reimbursed (as per September 2023 visa fee amounts to USD 185.)
Q: Are there any specific health and safety requirements?
A: No, but participants will be required to comply with all health and safety requirements of the Bulgarian and US authorities applicable prior to departure, while in the US, and upon return to Bulgaria.
Q: Do I need to be fully Covid-19 vaccinated to participate in the program?
A: As per current requirements, as of 12 May 2023 non-US citizens, non-US immigrants (not a US citizen, US national, lawful permanent resident, or traveling to the United States on an immigrant visa) no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated with the primary series of an accepted Covid-19 vaccine to travel to the United States by plane. This is subject to change by the US Government, and participants must comply with all applicable requirements at the time of travel. Latest updates on air travel requirements for non-US citizens, non-US immigrants might be checked here: https://bg.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
Q: Am I going to have emergency health insurance while in the US?
A: Yes, all selected participants will have emergency health insurance for the duration of the program.
Q: What is the goal of the two-hour virtual module?
A: The goal of the two-hour virtual module is to expose a larger pool of participants to the expertise of the Babson College faculty and introduce more people to the concepts of simultaneously creating social and economic value and the Entrepreneurial Thought & Action (ET&A) methodology. ET&A is a methodology that teaches participants to balance action, experimentation, and creativity with a deep understanding of business fundamentals and analysis to create maximum economic and social value.
Q: How will I benefit from being selected for the two-hour virtual module?
A: In addition to the new knowledge delivered by a premier educational institution such as Babson College, every participant in the virtual module will receive an individual assessment of the demonstrated leadership skills based on their submitted assignment, done by Babson College faculty.
Q: What costs are covered by the program?
A: All costs needed for the duration of the program in the US will be covered by the America for Bulgaria Foundation, including international flights and domestic transportation, emergency healthcare travel insurance, food, and lodging. Participants only need to pay in advance the applicable costs for the US visa, which will be reimbursed when in the United States (as of August 2023, the visa fee amounts to USD 185).
Q: Is LEAP an individual or a group program?
A: LEAP is a group program. Based on the quality of the pool of applicants, the America for Bulgaria Foundation, partnering organizations, and Babson College will select up to 17 participants who will travel together and work as a group for the whole trip.
Q: How many participants will be selected?
A: Based on the quality of applicants, the America for Bulgaria Foundation, partnering organizations, and Babson College will select up to 40 participants for an initial two-hour virtual module on Introduction to Leadership, and up to 17 of those participants will be selected to travel to the U.S. for 17 days.
Q: Can I fly to the US on my own and meet the group there?
A: No, all selected participants are expected to travel as a group unless there is a valid reason for an exception.
Q: If I get selected to participate in the US program, what should I expect prior to departure?
A: In addition to the visa application process, all selected participants who will travel to the US will need to take part in an obligatory orientation weekend a few weeks prior to departure to the US (Friday to Sunday) — with the whole group and the team of the America for Bulgaria Foundation.
Q: If I get selected to participate in the US program, what should I expect upon return to Bulgaria?
A: Upon return from the United States, participants will be encouraged to implement in Bulgaria the acquired knowledge and skills for the public good in Bulgaria and the local community where the participants work and/or live. The Foundation will provide opportunities for the LEAP program participants to stay connected and to network with professionals in their area(s) of interest, including business, local government, and civil society leaders and organizations.
Contact us:
For additional information, please contact us at: [email protected]