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To help emerging leaders grow, applications for the New Jersey Black Women’s Collective 3rd annual Leadership Institute Cohort are now open. Monday is the deadline to apply.
The New Jersey Black Women’s Collective, the state’s first comprehensive advocacy nonprofit dedicated to the growth of Black women leaders in the Garden State, was founded in 2021.
Since 2023, the nonprofit has partnered with Mercer County Community College to host its annual Leadership Institute Cohort, designed to help leaders in any sector gain key skills and strategies to face current problems and realize their skilled vision, according to the college’s website.
After applicants are accepted, participants will attend 15 curated sessions from Feb. 7, 2026 to June 6, 2026, at the college’s Conference Center, 1200 Old Trenton Rd., in West Windsor Township.
The application deadline for the cohort is Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. Applicants of any race, gender or ethnicity are encouraged to apply.
Assemblywoman Tennille R. McCoy, D-Mercer, who co-founded the organization, said the idea for the cohort came after she and her co-founders, Adrienne King and Tauran Tice McKnight, attended a meeting with the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce.
“We really wanted to understand what women were missing and what they needed to propel to the next level. That’s where we came up with this concept for hosting a Leadership Institute Cohort,” said McCoy.
Each session, McCoy said will cover a specific topic ranging from navigating politics within the workplace to leadership through fundraising.
McCoy said the cohort’s “Little P in Politics” session is one of her favorites.
“Obviously I’m a state legislator, and so I think it’s really important to be able to navigate politics in your workplace,” said McCoy. “So that’s a really interesting opportunity for individuals to really get a chance to recognize how they can deal with certain situations and how to navigate them.”
Each session will include a college-level course instruction, a leadership assessment, a series of presentations, networking lunches, workshops, lectures, and panel discussions on a variety of topics ranging from leadership to personal development.
McCoy said in one of the cohort’s session “Think Like A CFO,” or chief financial officer, participants are taught how to understand their organization’s finances.
“I think one of the things that’s so important is to understand how your organization makes money, and how do you contribute to that,” said McCoy. “So, that course really allows people to put on a CFO hat and really recognize the importance of the investment of the organization.”
The cohort, McCoy said will also include some virtual sessions, and all in-person and virtual sessions will be led by keynote speakers and facilitators, Melody M. Fogarty and Rita Williams-Bogar.
For the cohort, McCoy said the nonprofit does not accept more than 25 applicants.
On top of the 15 learning sessions, McCoy said participants also learn Tai chi, an ancient Chinese low-impact slow-motion exercise that promotes strength, flexibility and stress reduction.
“As you propel to the next level as a leader, there is more stress that is upon your shoulders, so it’s incredibly important to make sure that women are taking that time to give back to themselves,” said McCoy. “The self care is incredibly important.”
McCoy said cohort attendees will also participate in a golf clinic.
“The golf clinic is to really eliminate the intimidation of going onto a golf course,” said McCoy. “We recognize that this is a great place for them to make sure that they have the opportunity to participate in their organization’s golf gatherings or to network independently.”
Once accepted into the cohort, McCoy said applicants will pay a $1,250 fee, which covers facility costs, facilitators, travel for some guest speakers, and meals during the sessions.
“We do make sure we have a payment plan and we try to work with people. We also have scholarships for individuals, so we want to make sure that we’re eliminating financial barriers as well,” said McCoy.
To apply for the cohort, visit Mercer County Community College’s webpage.
For more information, email njblackwomenscollective@gmail.com.