A "practicum" can be defined as the part of a course consisting of practical work in a particular field. It's a term commonly heard in a college or university environment.
For Leadership Napa Valley, the Practicum Project is the component of the course in which participants work in small groups that are formed by the LNV Director and Coordinators. Once defined, the Practicum Groups work together to develop a project that will be their signature on the LNV experience. Practicum Groups often develop a project that provides service to the community. Previous Practicum Projects have focused on Housing, Youth, Employment, Downtown Napa, Environment, and Tourism, just to name a few, but each Group is free to choose a topic as the see fit. Each Practicum Group develops its project over the nine months of the program and makes a presentation of their work at the end of the LNV year.