Each year, a new class of 12-20 participants is selected to attend MCLA. Nominations come from local businesses, non-profits, utilities, and churches. The participants attend 9 sessions plus a graduation dinner over 10 months. Each session is tailored to learning facets of Morgan County, and building basic leadership skills. The cost for the course is $400 per participant.

The January Session is an opening one day retreat. The retreat is designed to allow the participants to learn about MCLA, understand the challenges facing Morgan County, and get acquainted with each other.

Each month the group will meet to learn more about a facet of life in Morgan County - everything from the educational system to how the jail operates. The class also selects a Community Project, or projects, to enhance some aspect of Morgan County. It can be to raise funds for a local organization, provide information to the community, improve a public system, etc.

In November, the final class is an evening graduation ceremony. At the ceremony, the class presents the Community Project(s). The ceremony is a chance for our participants to celebrate with their family, friends, and co-workers their achievement and what they take away from the course.

In ten months, MCLA participants learn the fundamentals of leadership. One of the main points of the Academy is to reinforce that leaders are not extraordinary people, but rather ordinary people who step up to help their communities, organizations and workplaces.

Morgan County Leadership Academy is a not-for-profit that is funded through participants' fees, corporate sponsorships and other donations from those in the community who recognize the value of leadership in community development.

Today Morgan County benefits from hundreds of alumni from MCLA who use their expertise to local communities, civic organizations, not-for-profit agencies, and government bodies to enhance our community at all levels.