How Chicago’s Business Leaders Are Building Prosperity with Purpose
Fellows of the Chicago Leadership Circle share how the program helped sharpen their leadership while growing businesses that serve the city’s economic and civic goals.
understand. engage. lead.
The Chicago Leadership Circle (CLC) is a joint initiative of Crain’s Chicago Business and the University of Chicago Graham School that supports executives in better understanding, shaping, and engaging with the region’s economic and community development.
Upon completing the program, CLC Fellows will have:
- A deeper understanding of the economic and social issues affecting Chicago’s future
- A vision for how to build shared value for their companies and for the region
- A set of meaningful relationships with socially responsible business executives and civic leaders across the region
- A roadmap for simultaneously advancing the aims of their institution and the city
Over the course of nine months, CLC Fellows build their network and develop their leadership skills while examining pivotal issues to Chicago’s economy and imagining how business can be part of advancing the city’s prosperous and inclusive future. The Circle is led by journalists at Crain’s and faculty at the University of Chicago who are committed to going beyond the headlines and deeply investigating the issues that matter most to our region.
The Chicago Leadership Circle: Where Business, Policy, and Purpose Meet
What does it mean to lead not just within your organization, but in service of your city? The Chicago Leadership Circle—a collaboration between the University of Chicago and Crain’s Chicago Business—brings together leaders from business, government, and the nonprofit world to explore that very question. Through candid conversations, guest speakers, and a thoughtfully curated cohort, participants examine how their work can contribute to the civic fabric of Chicago.
Program Structure and Schedule
The Chicago Leadership Circle investigates a new topic each month with expert speakers and faculty. View the dates and topics below.
Our kickoff session will take place on October 4th from 8:00 am-4:00 pm CST on the Hyde Park Campus of The University Of Chicago. Subsequent sessions will meet on the first Thursday of each month from 4:00-7:00 pm CT at the University’s Gleacher Center in downtown Chicago (450 N. Cityfront Plaza Drive, Chicago).
Watch
Chicago leadership circle: information session
Watch a recording of our recent info session to learn more about this nine month program, a collaboration with Crain’s Chicago Business that will support executives in better understanding, shaping, and engaging with the region’s economic and community development.
Sample Instructors & Guest Speakers
from our 2024-2025 Program Year
Ciere Boatright
Commissioner, Chicago Dept. of Planning and Development
Elizabeth Buchanan
North American Business, Nielson IQ
Katie Hill
Executive Director, The Crime Lab, The University of Chicago
Marianne Markowitz
President & CEO, First Woman’s Bank
John Pletz
Senior Reporter, Crain’s Chicago Business
Juan Salgado
Chancellor, City Colleges of Chicago
Z Scott
President, Chicago State University
Andre Vasquez
Alderperson, 40th Ward, The City of Chicago, Illinois
Robert Vargas
Professor of Sociology, The University of Chicago
Betsy Ziegler
CEO, 1871
Chicago Leadership Circle Stories
Crain’s and UChicago Graham Announce Inaugural Chicago Leadership Circle Fellows
Fifteen leaders from across industries and sectors have been named inaugural fellows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is financial support available for the program?
We are committed to reducing financial barriers to ensure the cohort reflects a meaningful blend of areas of lived experiences and backgrounds. We have limited scholarships available, and individuals can indicate the need for financial assistance in their application.
Where are these sessions held?
Our kickoff session will take place on October 4 from 8:00 am-4:00 pm CST at the Rubenstein Forum in Hyde Park (1201 E. 60th Street, Chicago). Subsequent sessions will meet on the first Thursday of each month from 4:00-7:00 pm CT at the downtown Gleacher Center (450 N. Cityfront Plaza Drive, Chicago).
What is the Capstone experience like?
Fellows create a capstone project envisioning a specific initiative or project that simultaneously advances the aims of their company/organization and the city’s economic and community development goals.
Capstone presentations are 5–7 minutes exploring:
- What will you and your institution do to help to address this issue in a meaningful and sustainable way?
- Why the issue matters to you, to your institution, and to the future of Chicago?
- How can this issue be addressed in a meaningful way based on what you have learned and your own analysis?
How do I start the application process?
The application period is currently closed. Please join our app alert list to be notified when the next application period opens.
When does the fellowship begin?
The first session starts on October 4, 2025; monthly sessions then run through June 2026.
What are program fees for the Chicago Leadership Circle?
The cost of the program is $9,500. Program fees are nonrefundable.
About the University of Chicago
For more than 125 years, the University of Chicago has forged its own path. This has led to new schools of thought and a transformative education for students, and laid the groundwork for breakthroughs across the sciences, medicine, economics, law, business, history, culture, the arts, and humanistic inquiry.
We shape and define fields
UChicago scholars are driven by intellectual debate and a search for new evidence.
We believe freedom of expression is fundamental
Free and open discourse is the foundation of a transformative education and world-changing research.
We tackle the world’s most pressing issues
Through research, discovery, and community partnerships, UChicago scholars and students are tackling complex problems—from solving crime at scale to combating climate change.
About Crain’s Chicago Business
ChicagoBusiness.com is the top source of news, analysis and information on business in metropolitan Chicago for decision-makers in the private and public sectors. In addition, Crain’s publishes a weekly business magazine, Crain’s Chicago Business, that provides deeper analysis, commentary, special reports and features. Crain’s also produces databases, live events and sponsored content, all with the aim of deepening readers’ understanding of local business.