The 2026 John F. Wood Summer Leadership Program brought 150 high school students from across Canada, the U.S., and seven other countries to Ivey for five days of Case-Method Learning, leadership workshops, team challenges, and a community-impact capstone.
From California to China and from Nigeria to Nova Scotia, 150 high school students came to Ivey this week for the 2026 John F. Wood Summer Leadership Program, wrapping up the five-day experience with capstone pitches judged by eight Ivey alumni.
Roughly 1,100 students applied for the 150 spots.
“We picked, in our opinion, the best 150 students,” Nicole Jesko, HBA Recruiting Manager, told the group at a welcome session to kick off the program. “You should be very proud of yourselves for having a spot.”
The John F. Wood Summer Leadership Program is a five-day residential program that gives high school students entering Grades 10 through 12 a taste of university life and an introduction to Ivey’s approach to learning. Participants stayed in Western University’s Ontario Hall and spent the week at Ivey, exploring leadership through Case-Method Learning, a CliftonStrengths workshop, team challenges, and a capstone project focused on community impact.
Cases, strengths, and LEGO
The week mirrored elements of Ivey’s HBA program, beginning with the case method. Business Foundations lecturers led three case-based classes using Ivey Publishing cases: Meals on Wheels London (Martin Eidenberg, HBA ’16), Textbooks for Change (Ruqayyah Shabbir, MSc ’22), and Colin's Car Detailing (Lucas Cicchelli, MSc ’22).
Ivey faculty member Yasser Rahrovani facilitated a hands-on LEGO learning activity, and Alex Elias, Associate Director, Career Coaching with Ivey Career Management, led a workshop on the Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment that the students completed before arriving. Between sessions, the cohort also participated in outdoor activities and a Western campus tour.
Six Western students with Advanced Entry Opportunity (AEO) status served as SLP counsellors, supporting participants in residence, in team settings, and across the program's activities.
The program has evolved significantly since it began in 2015 as the one-day John F. Wood Summer Leadership Symposium. It was rebuilt in 2023 as a five-day, four-night residential experience – a change that opened it to students well beyond southwestern Ontario.
A little more than half the cohort – 51 per cent – travelled from outside Ontario, including students from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Another 11 per cent came from abroad, including Japan, China, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, Nigeria, and five U.S. states.
Three ideas about leadership
At the program’s opening session, Martha Maznevski, PhD ’94, Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Associate Dean, Programs, encouraged the participants to think about leadership beyond the classroom.
“Business school is not just about what happens in the university,” Maznevski told the students. “Learning business is much bigger than that.”
She urged the students to think about leadership as more than individual expertise.
“Leaders have to learn faster than the rate of change in the environment,” she said. “Leadership is about learning and adapting, and leadership is about creating value that is sustainable and prosperous.”
She connected those ideas to Ivey’s purpose of inspiring leaders for a sustainable and prosperous world, encouraging the students to consider long-term social, economic, and environmental impact.
Building new connections
Zoe Kinias, Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Sustainability and the John F. Wood Chair for Innovation in Business Education, built on that message by urging the students to be intentional about the relationships they formed during the week.
“The connections you have the opportunity to build with each other here can be friendships through your whole lives,” said Kinias. “They can also be professional opportunities for you throughout your lives.”
She encouraged the students to step beyond their comfort zones and build relationships with people they might not naturally gravitate toward.
“Try to go a little bit outside your comfort zone,” she said. “Give yourselves the opportunity to have those new connections.”
A growing alumni network
Matt Pizzuti, MSc ’18, Associate Director of Recruiting and Admissions for the HBA Program, also referenced the relationships built through SLP. He said the program’s first residential cohort, from 2023, is now entering university, with students attending Ivey, Wharton, Yale, and Harvard. Some of the students who came to Ivey have even been roommates since first year.
“Some of you will meet some of your best friends throughout this program,” Pizzuti said. “Take care of each other.”
The capstone
The Western Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship, Powered by Ivey, led this year's capstone, building on the Founder’s Journey course the students completed before arriving on campus.
The challenge asked the students to design a feasible initiative that would reduce barriers to young people participating in community opportunities.
Eight Ivey alumni judged the final presentations: Business Foundations lecturers Damian Hart, HBA ’23; Nathan Leili, HBA ’22; Elizabeth Shewchuk, HBA ’25; and Julianna Rizzo, HBA ’26; along with Briana Tang, HBA ’24; Katie Treviranus, HBA ’16; Tulika Sharma, HBA ’22; and Connor Glazier, HBA ’16.
Congratulations to the winning teams
First place
Section 2 Team 4: Stella Holland, Nicole Davies, Siena Ciotoli, Ustaat Singh, and Grayson Sooy
Second place
Section 1 Team 6: Coco Lee, Ella Ng, Pal Patel, Desmond Sivan, and Kostya Stoliarov
(Photo above) The winning team
(Photo above) The second-place team
About the John F. Wood Summer Leadership Program
Who can participate in the John F. Wood Summer Leadership Program?
High school students currently in Grades 9, 10, and 11 can apply for the program.
What do students do during the Summer Leadership Program?
Students take part in case classes, leadership workshops, team-based challenges, and a capstone project.
How long is the Summer Leadership Program?
The program is a five-day, four-night residential experience at Western University and Ivey.
Where is the John F. Wood Summer Leadership Program held?
The program takes place at Ivey Business School and Western University in London, Ontario. Students stay in residence at Ontario Hall.
How competitive is the program?
In 2026, approximately 1,100 students applied for 150 spots.
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