CIL Fellows

Become an innovative leader!

The CIL Fellows Program is a selective, 10-month leadership experience designed for Carey Flex MBA students who are serious about strengthening their capacity to lead in complex, real-world environments. The program begins in the first week of June with a four-day immersive two-credit residency that blends rigorous, evidence-based research with hands-on application.

Rather than treating leadership as a set of abstract concepts, the residency centers on the moments where leadership is actually practiced—helping Fellows build self-awareness, refine their ability to influence others, and develop sound judgment in the face of ambiguity. Through simulations, facilitated reflection, and collaborative problem-solving, participants engage directly with the Center’s Present Moment Leadership (PML) framework while navigating the interpersonal and organizational dynamics that shape effective leadership, gaining tools they can immediately apply in their professional contexts.

Program overview

• 2-credit week long residency course in June 2027 taught by Professor Michelle Barton
• Peer coaching team for accountability and feedback
• Leadership Treks (full-day, regionally located off site experiences)
• Leadership growth plan – PML360 assessment, leadership coaching, and goal setting
• Monthly connect sessions for continued learning and community building

Following the residency, the program unfolds as a sustained, practice-based 10-month experience that keeps Fellows actively engaged with one another and with their own development. Peer coaching teams create space for honest dialogue, accountability, and shared learning, while regional Leadership Treks offer firsthand exposure to how leaders operate in high-stakes, high-reliability settings.

Monthly Connect sessions with industry leaders offer practical insight into leading in the modern world of work, while one-on-one coaching helps Fellows deepen self-awareness, clarify goals, and identify next steps. PML360, a strengths-based assessment, combines self-reflection with colleagues’ accounts of moments when Fellows were at their best as leaders. The resulting personalized feedback informs a focused growth plan that guides each Fellow’s continued development beyond the Fellowship. Throughout the program, Fellows deepen their understanding of leadership and strengthen their ability to act with empathy, competence, and agility when it matters most.