Global Leadership in Action: A Showcase of Collective Impact

About This Event

At the heart of the Emerging Leaders Program is a simple conviction: leadership is exercised collectively, across institutions and sectors, and through our ability to listen, learn from one another, and work together toward shared goals. 

Join us to celebrate the Emerging Leaders Class of 2026 as they bring that conviction to life. Over the course of the year, project groups have worked across disciplines and perspectives to explore questions with significance for Chicago and the wider world. They have developed ideas, tested assumptions, and learned how to move from a shared question toward collective action. 

During this hour-long program, the class’s project groups will showcase their work and reflect on the process behind it: the questions they pursued; the ideas they developed and revised; the challenges they encountered; and the successes that helped move their work forward. Most importantly, they will share what they learned about collaboration, leadership, and creating impact alongside others. 

This is a showcase not only of what the Class of 2026 has produced, but of global leadership in action: bringing together different experiences and expertise, navigating disagreement and uncertainty, and turning shared purpose into meaningful work. 

We will close by celebrating the Class of 2026’s completion of the Emerging Leaders Program and recognizing the community they have built together. Each member will receive a certificate of completion before we continue the celebration with a reception. Rather than a polished final product, this is a chance to see their development as it took shape, through curiosity, teamwork, and personal investment. Alongside their presentations, we'll celebrate the Class of 2026's graduation from the program and the community that supported their growth along the way.

A reception will follow the hour-long program.