Welcome participants!
We are so excited to welcome you to the 2026 John F. Wood Summer Leadership Program (SLP), taking place at the Ivey Business School at Western University from August 3–7, 2026.
Business plays a key role in shaping communities, driving innovation, and creating meaningful change. Leaders today must be adaptable, collaborative, and ready to take on complex challenges in areas like sustainability, technology, and the future of work. This program is designed to help students build the mindset and skills needed to thrive in a changing world.
You have been selected based on your unique skills and demonstrated passion for business, leadership, and innovation. This program will challenge you to develop leadership skills, engage in case-based learning, and tackle real-world business challenges alongside like-minded peers.
This page will serve as your central resource for all SLP documents and information; please explore it thoroughly!
Before the program begins, please take time to review and complete the pre-work listed below. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the SLP Team at hba@ivey.ca.
Please note: SLP will be a completely nut-free program to ensure the safety of all participants. If you plan to pack and bring any snacks of your own, please ensure they do not contain any nuts. Thank you!
See you soon,
The Summer Leadership Program Team
Pre-Program Checklist
All students must complete the following before SLP begins. This includes required forms, assessments, and course-specific readings or materials.
1. Consent Form
All participants and parents/guardians must complete and submit the consent form to hba@ivey.ca.
Due: Monday, July 13th, 2026
2. CliftonStrengths Assessment
Complete your Clifton Strengths Assessment and review your results.
Due: Friday, July 24th, 2026
3. Case Study Readings
The following cases will be discussed throughout the program. Please ensure you take the time to review each case.
4. The Founder's Journey Course
Complete The Founder's Journey course.
5. Join the High School Ambassador Program (HAP) through CPA Ontario
CPA Ontario proudly sponsors the Summer Leadership Program, and joining HAP is a requirement for participation.
By joining HAP, you’ll have opportunities to:
- Network with CPAs and build valuable connections.
- Access exclusive workshops & events tailored for high school students.
- Develop your skills & financial literacy to prepare for your future.
- Win cool prizes through exciting competitions.
How to Join: Visit CPAOntario.ca/HAP for more details and to sign up today!
6. Join the WhatsApp Groupchat
All SLP participants are asked to join the WhatsApp groupchat. This is what SLP Staff and Counsellors will use to communicate with participants throughout the week to share reminders and updates on programming.
Join Here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KRCaFsrdXQZ2MGn3U0IxCP?s=cl&p=i&ilr=4
Virtual Meet & Greet
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Virtual Meet & Greet on July 23rd! For those who missed it, we recorded the portion where we covered all the important information you may want to review.