The Military Spouse Advocacy Network has expanded its partnership with the University of Notre Dame through the launch of a second online course titled Ethical Leadership with Notre Dame. This follows the successful July introduction of a mental wellness program and represents a significant development in educational support for military families. The collaboration involves Notre Dame Learning's Office of Digital Learning and faculty from the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership at the Mendoza College of Business, reflecting the center's mission to inform, equip, and inspire values-based leadership.
The course addresses critical topics including conflict management, voicing values at work, and honesty and empathy in decision-making. Its specific aim is supporting military spouses in becoming leaders who foster resilient and flourishing communities. Both non-credit courses are delivered through a mix of asynchronous content and live sessions, making them accessible to military families who often face relocation challenges and career disruptions. This format directly addresses the mobility issues that frequently interrupt traditional educational and career paths for military spouses.
Jessica McManus Warnell, Rex and Alice A. Martin Faculty Director of the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership, explained the program's significance. "We developed a custom curriculum for military spouses to enhance career readiness and leadership in their organizations and communities," Warnell stated. "Featuring insights from a dynamic group of faculty experts, including several who are veterans and spouses, our course provides strategies for participants to be powerful agents for positive change." The course includes contributions from Notre Dame faculty members Paul Blaschko, Jim Leady, Drew Marcantonio, and Jim O'Rourke, along with military community members Rose Boyle, Pat Gibbons, Jen Heckel, Amy Spangler, and Erin Stevens.
The impact of the initial mental wellness course has demonstrated the program's effectiveness. Donna Armentrout from the Veldman Family Psychology Clinic reported that "the military spouse learners have had the opportunity to practice having mental health conversations and receive in-the-moment feedback from clinical psychology doctoral students under the supervision of Notre Dame faculty and staff." This multidisciplinary partnership involves faculty and staff from 10 organizations across Notre Dame, spearheaded by Notre Dame Research with support from multiple university departments including the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs and the College of Arts and Letters.
Verenice Castillo, founder, CEO, and president of MSAN, emphasized the partnership's importance. "Their commitment to our military community will empower these dedicated individuals to continue making a profound difference in their lives and communities," Castillo said. "Together, we are building an army of strong community leaders, mentors, and advocates." The program addresses the unique challenges military spouses face in maintaining career continuity and leadership development despite frequent relocations and the demands of military life.
For HR vendors serving the talent management sector, this development represents an important trend in specialized workforce development programs. The partnership demonstrates how academic institutions can create targeted solutions for populations with specific career challenges. The program's focus on ethical leadership development provides a model for organizations seeking to build resilient leadership pipelines among diverse employee groups. Additional information about these initiatives is available at https://www.leadershipinstituteformilitaryspouses.org.
