Exciting News: Missoula’s Own Goes To Harvard For Training

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Just as Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis went to Harvard for what she termed ‘mayor school’, County Commissioner Josh Slotnick has now also been selected to spend most of this month at the prestigious university for the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program.

I spoke with Slotnick on Tuesday about his selection to the program, which will run from July 7th to the 25^th.

County Commissioner Slotnick to Attend Program at Harvard University

“It’s a different program, but I applied for this,” began Slotnick. “I started the application in the late fall, early winter, and then just recently found out about it, and this one is for senior local and state government officials. It’s for people who are elected, but also folks who are working in government who aren't elected, including our staff members, and they're from all across America (a total of) 80 people. It was competitive to get in, and I got a scholarship. So I'm really fortunate to get to go.”

Slotnick says he’s eager to anticipate the trip and what he will learn.

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Slotnick is one of 80 Officials to Attend the Training at Harvard

“I'm really excited about it,” he said. “I'm excited, in part, for the curriculum and the teachers, but also just as excited about learning from the other people who do the same type of work, but in other places. The challenges that we face are not specific and unique to Missoula, for the most part, around things like housing and cost of living, and attracting investment, and all of that sort of thing. People everywhere who work in government are facing these challenges, so I'm excited to learn from others on how they're dealing with these challenges.”

Slotnick said the class will be challenging.

Slotnick Anticipates a Challenging Curriculum at his Training

“I'm nervous and excited,” he said. “Just being gone for that for three weeks is a big deal. No, I don't ever go away for that long. I went to the orientation the other day online, and they said, man, get ready, do your homework. The expectations are high, and it's a lot of work, and we're going to call on you in class, just like you're going to graduate school.”

Slotnick said the training is for individuals, like him, who make local decisions on a daily basis.

The County Will Pick up the $1,000 Cost to send Slotnick to Harvard

“We’re kind of caught between people who make large-scale policy at the federal level or even at the state legislature, but aren't dealing on the ground,” he said. “They aren't responsible for providing services, which we are. So we're caught in the sense between the people who are creating policy and the folks who actually live lives in part based on how those policies work. We're in the middle providing services, and there's just a ton to understand there.”

The tuition for the program is $17,900. However, due to receiving a scholarship, the actual cost to send him will only be $1,000, which will be paid by Missoula County.