JA University: Lifelong Learning
Overview
JA University is a program that delivers fundamental principles of success to JA students, staff, and alumni in a way that complements the financial literacy, business, and entrepreneurship programs already delivered by JA. The intention of JA University is to deliver valuable personal and professional wisdom from well-respected and globally renowned authors/speakers/coaches and increase the likelihood of JA alumni and students fully implementing and fully benefitting from what they are already learning from JA’s core programs. The program is being designed to be delivered online in multimedia, interactive formats that are both easy and effective to utilize, particularly for Millennials and the generations that follow.
History
JA University was established in 2016 with a mandate to empower JA students, alumni, and staff with training materials and educational content drawn from the world’s best personal- and professional-development thought leaders. The first supporter of JA University was Brian Sidorsky, a JA alumnus and successful business leader from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, who attributed his own success in life and business to what he learned from JA, from participating in JA Company program five times, and from established thought leaders in the personal-development world.
Since then, JA University has evolved and grown to include additional supporters and contributors, including the Chancellors of JA University, who have generously volunteered their time and donated their educational content to empower staff, students, and alumni—including serving as keynote speakers at JA Global Leadership Conferences and JA alumni events. Following the JA Centennial in 2019, David Meltzer has served as the Chief Chancellor for JA University, leading the effort by donating his time and resources to mentor and support JA staff, students, and alumni. JA University also provides a home for several of JA’s mindset-shifting staff development programs, including JA Fellows (launched in 2017), JA Virtual GLC (launched in 2021), and JA Global Orientation (launched in 2023).
Chancellors
The roster of JA University Chancellors includes 17 global thought leaders, with outreach to additional big thinkers continuing. The current outreach strategy emphasizes a desire to diversify the list of Chancellors in terms of gender, age, and international background. In addition to contributing content (on a royalty-free basis), branding, and influence, several of the JA University Chancellors serve the organization through pro bono work in support of JA, all in the spirit of paying it forward.
The core JA University program includes seven content modules:
Be clear about your vision, values, purpose, and goals.
Take 100% responsibility.
Believe in yourself.
Develop a positive mental attitude.
Surround yourself with successful people.
Take inspired action.
Be persistent.
In addition to the seven-module core online program, there will be a library of royalty-free resources, contributed by JA University Chancellors and others, to support JA alumni and staff who want even more information and support beyond the JA University core program. Resources are expected to include printed materials, audio programs, video programs, webinars, podcasts, live event access, and more. The library will be updated regularly.
Core Content
Summary: A Perfect Match
JA University is much more than just another initiative. It's a compilation of personal- and professional-development information and ideas that perfectly complement the value JA is already delivering in over 100 countries. It's a way for JA to be able to do what we're already doing and do it even better. And for the JA University Chancellors, working with JA is a way for them to do something they all want desperately to do: getting their work into the hands of more young people, allowing youth to learn these fundamental principles at an age where the knowledge and skills can make an even bigger difference. The alliance with JA, one of the world’s largest NGO focused on youth education, allows Chancellors to share their work with young people in ways that multiply reach that otherwise would not be possible. JA University allows JA Worldwide and the JA University Chancellors to work together to make a huge impact for future generations creating a self-perpetuating, virtuous cycle of support.
