Why OBC?

OnBoard Cleveland will challenge you to develop skills for confident networking, presentations and professional interactions. Through OnBoard, you’ll:

  • Analyze and employ your individual strengths to maximize contributions in professional settings and community involvements.
  • Gain an appreciation of the local assets, better understand critical community issues and learn collaborative leadership skills to address them.
  • Get connected to civic opportunities that align with your personal interests and talents.
  • Your Commitment

    Participants are expected to attend a one and a half-day opening retreat in September and six, four-hour afternoon sessions once per month from October through March.

    Tuition for the class of 2025 is $2,250 per participant (typically paid by the employer). Tuition includes food, materials, and session activities.

    Partial scholarships are available, and CLC will work with successful applicants to ensure tuition is not a barrier. Scholarships are determined via the scholarship application form that will be available on the same dates as the program application.

    There is a non-refundable $25 application fee.

  • Application process

    Participants are chosen through a blind selection process. A volunteer alumni panel reviews all submissions and scores applicants on their commitment to building a civic/professional network, and willingness to expand self-awareness of personal and professional strengths and challenges.

    The program application form includes three short answer questions, a brief overview of your community involvement and one recommendation (which must be completed on the online application – no letters will be accepted).

    Applications for the Class of 2025 are open through February 29, 2024.There is a non-refundable $25 application fee.

Employers, OnBoard Cleveland is a win for you too!

“OnBoard is a win-win for our early-career colleagues and for our firm. Our colleague gets to develop her professional network, hone leadership skills, and become further enmeshed in our community, and the firm gets to hit fast-forward on the development of our colleague, while demonstrating our belief in their skills and potential. OnBoard is a phenomenal investment in your career and in your team.”

-Kip Bollin (LC 2020, CLC Board), Partner in Charge, Cleveland Office, Thompson Hine LLP

The OBC difference

At the end of each program year, participants indicate their level of agreement with a series of statements before and after the program. The charts below indicate the percentage of participants who agreed or strongly agreed with these specific statements.

I am able to think critically about how relationships between civic assets, issues, and stakeholders impact the health of the community.

I have access to opportunities to form relationships with people from a variety of backgrounds.

To learn more about CLC’s evaluation process, visit our Impact page.


To learn more about OBC, email Nicole Canitano or call (440) 476-7423.