Session 7: The Art of Negotiation explored negotiation as an important professional skill in both project management and career development. The session covered contractual risk, professional liability, client expectations, scope management, salary negotiation, self-advocacy, and long-term career planning. Participants also had the opportunity to practice these concepts through a negotiation role-play activity and a resume workshop. Overall, the session emphasized the importance of project management, clear communication, and understanding one’s value in the workplace.

Session three of the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development program, titled Tackling Climate Change, outlined architects' role in building community resilience and shaping sustainability policy amidst changing politics. The group heard from a variety of sustainability focused roles from both private and public sectors. The session ended with an impressive building tour of 80M St, the first mass timber construction in Washington, DC.

As a foundation to the CKLDP, the first session highlighted the importance of leadership. The scholars learned about how the current architecture profession needs leaders with Emotional Intelligence, who can build up others around them. The session facilitated the group getting to know each other, and the speakers presented different ways that leaders can connect to others. By learning about themselves and about the other leaders alongside them, the scholars gained new skills to help the teams they work with every day.