The benefits of the EPEL program emerge on many different levels. First, you have the academic rigor of attending ten Chicago Booth Executive Education sessions and working through the associated case studies and group exercises. Second, it is a very unique opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for the University as a whole and expand your perspective about the University beyond your division or area of responsibility. Finally, the opportunity to connect with and get to know other peers / leaders from around the University really built a sense of professional community that I did not have outside of my division before attending the program.
— K.C. Goodell, Senior Executive Administrator, Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago Medical Center

I found the Executive Program for Emerging Leaders to be tremendously valuable. The course covered a range of topics – from communications planning to creating value in negotiations to evaluating social capital to managing personal and organizational brands-and I gained new awareness and learned tools for effective leadership in all of these areas and more. What made this program outstanding for me was the participation of University leadership. It was wonderful to hear the thoughts of the provost and vice presidents on the attributes of successful leaders, and to learn about the initiatives, priorities, and values of the University in their own words. EPEL is not a course that prescribes a certain way of thinking. Instead it gave me frameworks for thinking, and provided plenty of fuel for an ongoing examination on the topic of leadership. As well, I met many smart and talented staff from across the University, and I look forward to staying connected with them and growing together in our careers.
— Stacey Shintani, Manager of Strategic Web Communications, IT Services / Web Services, The University of Chicago

EPEL wonderfully highlights the valuable contributions of University staff. Although we support and promote the faculty and academic culture of the University, this course allows a unique forum for sharing best practices and leadership ideas from a staff perspective. It also provides an appreciation for staff diversity and illustrates the consistency of the University’s mission across many departments and schools. A highlight was meeting and hearing from senior level leaders at the University. I left every class feeling more connected to the University and its mission and with a renewed appreciation for being a steward of this great institution.
— Patty Keegan, Associate Dean, Executive MBA Program North America, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business