Build the bench that will run your agency
Twelve months for your GS 13 to GS 15 talent: an SES-level mentor, a developmental assignment, executive shadowing and interviews, and an action learning project on a real federal problem.
Trusted across the federal government
Agency seals reflect organizations Graduate School USA has trained. They do not imply endorsement by, or affiliation with, any federal agency.
EPP: the leading change rung of the continuum
The Executive Potential Program is the senior rung of the CLM continuum and the program CLM has run since the Center was created. It develops high-potential employees at the GS 13 to GS 15 levels under the theme Leading Change, with a curriculum focused on OPM's Executive Core Qualifications framework. Participants build a portfolio of accomplishments tied to the ECQs, which is the language SES selection is conducted in.
What the 12 months actually contain
Every program is competency-based and cohort-based. Participants stay in their jobs, apply what they learn as they go, and finish with a portfolio of real work rather than a certificate alone.
Four one-week sessions over twelve months
Nineteen days of live, project-based instruction, one session per quarter, delivered live online.
An SES-level mentor
Participants secure a mentor at a higher level of leadership, preferably at the Senior Executive Service level, retained for the full program.
Ten one-on-one mentoring sessions
Held outside of class: portfolio review, concept deep-dives, resume and LinkedIn work, application advice, and learning-goal check-ins.
Leadership Effectiveness Inventory (LEI)
A 360-degree assessment gathering input from supervisors, peers, and direct reports, which drives the Leadership Development Plan approved by the participant's supervisor and agency coordinator.
Action Learning team project
A small team works the full year on a real-world federal problem and delivers recommendations with direct impact.
Developmental assignment
A minimum eight-week assignment, structured as two eight-week assignments or one sixteen-week assignment. Participants secure their own.
SES shadowing and five executive interviews
Three days shadowing a member of the Senior Executive Service, or three separate executives, plus interviews with five senior executives, flag officers, or comparable private and nonprofit leaders.
Session curriculum
Leading Change and conflict management in Session II; Leading People, human resources management, and financial management in Session III.
Program Impact Paper
A capstone reflection on the yearlong journey: achievements, lessons learned, benefit to the organization, and next steps.
What your employee brings back
Graduates return with work product and relationships, not just a completion record.
A portfolio of accomplishments tied to the Executive Core Qualifications
An action learning project delivered to a real federal problem
A completed developmental assignment and SES-level shadowing
A verified digital certificate and 13.6 CEUs
An SES-level mentor and a government-wide peer network
What graduates say
Every quote below is verbatim from a Graduate School USA program page.
An all-access pass to the exclusive world of senior federal leadership. It provided me with the background information I needed to develop into a senior executive.
Exposed me to individuals at the Senior Executive level who provided insight to career opportunities. I have been able to not only discuss what good leadership looks like, but see it in action.
When I started this program I thought I was too junior and that my participation was pre-mature. One year later, I find myself staring down a winding road with paths I've never noticed.
I credit the developmental activities of EPP with furnishing me with the foundation for the next stage in my leadership journey. Participating in this program has equipped me with the necessary groundwork, concepts, and exposure to potential career options and given me the visibility and the knowledge that are crucial to achieving my goals.
The SES interviews and shadowing were the best part. I also thoroughly enjoyed my detail and will be extending it, hopefully, into a permanent position.
At the end of this class, I had an entire change management toolkit that I intend to put to use immediately.
Very good teachers that provided a wealth of knowledge. Given the issues that started to occur with the government during this cohort, the Grad School did a phenomenal job in pivoting to keep it going and working with participants to see them through to the end.
Who should attend
GS 13 to GS 15 or equivalent. Applicants apply with supervisor and training coordinator approval.
High-potential GS 13 to GS 15 employees you are developing toward the Senior Executive Service
Leaders who need exposure to the enterprise, not just their own program office
Executives who will be asked to lead change rather than administer a steady state
Agencies building a succession bench rather than filling one vacancy
Cohorts, tuition, and how to enroll
Tuition covers all materials and is due before the class starts. An installment plan is available. Agencies typically fund enrollment with an SF-182 or a government purchase card.
September 28, 2026
Delivered live online, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm Eastern. Contact CLM to confirm the current cohort calendar and remaining seats.
Ask about this cohort$8,350
Covers all materials. An installment plan is available, beginning with a 10 percent non-refundable deposit.
Ask about funding13.6 CEUs
A verified digital certificate of completion from Graduate School USA, an ACCET-accredited institution.
Ask about the credentialHow this relates to the SES
The Executive Potential Program is not a Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), though many of its components are equivalent. Participants learn about the SES and the SES application process as part of the curriculum.
Vetted procurement, right from the GSA Schedule
Graduate School USA is a GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract holder, allowing federal agencies and other qualifying organizations to confidently purchase our services.
- GSA MAS contract 47QRAA24D004K, SINs 611430 (professional training) and 541611 (management/administrative consulting)
- Held as American Public Training LLC d/b/a Graduate School USA; UEI LA83MCFN1ST3; CAGE 99AA0
- We work with your training office on the paperwork, whether a Schedule order, purchase order, or an SF-182.
A century of developing the federal workforce
Graduate School USA was established by the Secretary of Agriculture in 1921. In 1995 the Office of Personnel Management transferred eight of its training centers to the school, and the Center for Leadership and Management was created. CLM has trained more than 10,000 emerging federal leaders since.
- Founded 1921 as the USDA Graduate School; 500,000+ government employees trained across 125+ agencies
- ACCET-accredited (ACCET is a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditor)
- Center for Leadership and Management runs ECQ-aligned executive development, including the Executive Potential Program since 1995
- 200+ federally experienced subject-matter experts across 400+ courses and certificates
- Available on an active GSA MAS Schedule (SINs 611430 and 541611)
Questions agencies ask
The answers training officers and program directors ask for most, in one place.
Does the participant keep working during the program?
Who secures the developmental assignment?
How do we pay for it?
Can you run a cohort just for our agency?
How does my agency buy training from Graduate School USA?
Can courses be tailored to our agency?
Can training be delivered virtually or in person?
Talk to the Center for Leadership and Management
Tell us the levels you need to develop, how many people, and your timeline. We will map them to the right program and cohort, and answer questions about funding and the SF-182.