Leadership Treks
Behind the scenes with today’s boldest leaders and changemakers
CIL Leadership Treks are one-day site visits that take participants inside some of the world’s most dynamic and high-performing organizations. Designed to connect students, alumni, and CIL affiliates with leaders at the forefront of innovation, these curated experiences offer an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at organizations making a transformative impact in their industries and communities.
Each trek brings together a select group of Carey Business School students and alumni for direct access to executive leaders, creative teams, and distinctive workplace cultures. Participants explore how organizations approach leadership, navigate complexity, and drive change in unexpected ways. A typical trek features private facility tours, interactive discussions, Q&A sessions with senior leaders, and hands-on activities or demonstrations hosted by the organization.
CIL has organized and planned treks to an exciting range of destinations, including NASA’s Johnson Space Center, the United Nations, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, The Second City, and James Beard Award–winning restaurants—organizations that challenge traditional business models and redefine impact through innovation and leadership.
Treks are strategically planned in regional hubs such as Washington, D.C., New York City, Houston, Chicago, and the Bay Area to maximize access for part-time MBA students and alumni. Each experience is paired with a Johns Hopkins Carey social event—such as a happy hour, luncheon, or networking reception—creating opportunities for meaningful connections among students, alumni, faculty, staff, and industry partners.
Leadership Treks offer more than a site visit—they’re a living classroom for innovative leadership. Participants return with new insights, expanded networks, and inspiration to lead with creativity, courage, and impact in their own fields.
CIL Trek Partners
Through the CIL Leadership Treks, I learned that leadership is not about control or credentials. It is about presence, trust, and shared purpose. Hearing astronauts and mission leaders describe communal coping in high-stakes environments showed me the power of psychological safety and shared responsibility. That mindset is something I will now try to model in team settings.
