Tami Miller is confident about the decision to move the long-running Opportunity Greenville professional development program to online-only this year.

“I won’t apologize about it being virtual, because this is going to be a dynamic experience,” said Miller, who serves as leadership development director with the Greenville Chamber of Commerce. “I have an education background, so I know how to make things engaging and interactive no matter what the circumstances are.”

The five-week program held each fall aims to guide participants through the inner workings of the Greenville Community. With sessions focused around the local economy, government, culture and history, with guidance from local leaders and decision makers, its a program designed with new arrivals in mind, as well as longtime residents who want to become more engaged with the community.

If anything, Miller says the strange circumstances of our times have only highlighted her belief in the program’s efficacy.

“I certainly think we’re realizing in these times that it’s up to us to make a difference in our community,” Miller said. “We don’t have the luxury of not seeing the things that are going on now, whether those are worth celebrating or in need of improving. Either way, it’s on us.”

All Opportunity Greenville sessions are held each week from 2 to 5 p.m., beginning Sept. 28 and ending Oct. 26. The final session might be held as an in-person event with catering from The Lazy Goat, although a final decision has yet to be made until the state of the coronavirus is more clear at that time.

Classes have been redesigned to better suit online engagement, Miller said, with smaller “breakout room” Zoom sessions added to the program to foster more imitate conversations.

While participants in years past were encouraged to meet outside of the program, Miller said she still hopes participants will be able to use the program to built their own personal network. Whether that’s through smaller meet-ups, socially distanced events or strictly online interactions depends upon each participant’s level of comfort.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to know more about where we live, work, worship and play, and be an active participant in that community, even if it means engaging virtually,” Miller said. “The leaders that came before us 30 years ago, we’re reaping the rewards of their actions now, as well as dealing with some of the issues they left us. But it’s our community, so if we’re not leading it, who is?”

For more information visit greenvillechamber.org.

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