Leadership curriculum

Mission

The Park Leadership Fellows Program serves to attract the best and the brightest to Johnson, and to establish the school’s reputation as the premier producer of world class leaders.

Vision

To develop and inspire the next generation of world class leaders through an experience based leadership program that is grounded in self-awareness and interpersonal mastery and manifests in an enduring legacy of service.

Foundation in personal mastery

Personal mastery is about knowing and discovering oneself for the purposes of understanding who you are as a leader, what developmental changes you want to make and how you want to apply your talents in this world.

Challenging you to grow as a leader
You do not invent your natural leadership style, you discover it. This means stepping out of your comfort zone to face new challenges, to grow as a person and to expand your realm of possibilities. Every act of leadership is an act of courage, and you will model this through the challenges you face in this self-discovery process.

Empowering you to pursue your passions
Confucius said to “find work that you love and you will never work another day in your life.” We impel you early to take a hard look at this issue. If your professional aspirations are lined up with your passions, you will not only be successful, but also happier and healthier. The fellowship not only begs this question, but also affords you greater financial freedom to experiment with it.

Dynamic and innovative program

An innovative vision
The two-year developmental sequence of class sessions and experiences that the Fellows go through together makes the Park Program a unique and powerful experience in management education. It is built on a principle of developing leaders from the inside out, and it not only instills an inspiration for becoming the best that you can be, but also a desire to make a positive difference in the world.

Balancing leadership theory
The developmental sequence starts with a process of discovering leadership. As a Park Fellow, you will explore the leading theories and frameworks and have an opportunity to deepen your understanding of them through case discussions. You will also be asked to define leadership for yourself and to use that definition as a model to live by.

Practice and learning by doing
Leadership development is like learning how to swim — you only learn after jumping in. After reflecting on the intellectual frameworks of leadership and developing your own definition, you will apply your understanding through exercises, simulations, school activities and service projects in the community. Each of these areas serves as a practice field for developing leadership skills along four broad dimensions:

  • Personal mastery — How do I learn and what to I want to become as a leader?
  • Interpersonal mastery — How do I model that skillfully, particularly in relationships and conducting difficult conversations?
  • Team mastery — How do I develop a diverse group into a high performing team?
  • System mastery — How do I manage and lead change in an organization?

Inspired leadership

Inspired leadership
The result is a leadership ideal — visible, distinguished and selfless — that all Park Fellows are inspired to attain. They are driven to excel, dedicated to excellence and committed to the greater good. Moreover, their example of balancing professional achievement with personal contribution to the world, serves to inspire others to do the same.

Diverse learning community

A diverse group, sharing a common commitment
One of the distinguishing features of the Program is its theme of diversity “from all walks of life, into all walks of life.” By almost any measure, the Park Fellows are a diverse group of interesting and unique people who are united around a common commitment to leadership. No matter where you are in life, or what your particular profession, function or place in society, as Park Fellow you are called to serve as a voice of positive influence and proactive change.

A community of learning partners
If nothing else, leadership is about relationships and is learned through relationships. As a Park Fellow, you will partner with others in your learning process through coaching, mentoring, role playing and challenging one another throughout the two year experience. In fact, you will probably learn more from one another than from any other aspect of the program. As a result, deep and long lasting relationships and sense of community develop.

Extension into an active alumni network
This learning community extends into the alumni experience. Being a Park Fellow is a lifelong commitment to your development as a leader, and it is nurtured through an active Park Leadership Fellows Alumni Association and program that serves to promote learning, networking and advancement throughout your career. Every year, newsletters, networking opportunities and reunion events serve to keep the growing Park community thriving.

Legacy of service

Legacy of service
Finally, through community service projects, contributions in the school and a commitment to social responsibility, Park Fellows leave a rich legacy of service. The student-run Big Red Venture Fund and the Big Red Incubator are just two of the more visible examples of the Park Project legacy at Johnson. Fellows have also conducted over 80 projects in the local community, ranging from working with youth at risk to helping launch start-ups to bringing in alternative air services to Ithaca. This commitment to service is enduring — a recent alumni survey shows the vast majority of Park Fellows continue to be involved in the betterment of their communities long after graduation.

Service leadership projects

As part of the fellowship, each Roy H. Park Leadership Fellow is charged with making a significant public service contribution to Johnson, the university or the surrounding community.

The Service Leadership Projects serve as a capstone for leadership development at Johnson by providing the Fellows with an opportunity to practice their leadership skills, integrate the perspectives of diverse disciplines and develop an enduring commitment to public service. The projects are structured to focus on service improvements and program enhancements for either non-profit organizations or for-profit start-ups that stimulate economic development. The Service Leadership Projects benefit not only the client and community, but also the Fellows by enabling them to deepen their leadership capability and their appreciation of the rewards of public service.

The Park Leadership Fellows are self-organizing and self-governing with respect to the Service Leadership Projects. They act as the primary source for initiating and developing project ideas, and consult with the Program Director for referrals and advice on project structure and content.

Below are just a few examples of Service Leadership Projects that have invaluably impacted the Johnson, Cornell and regional communities since the Fellowship’s inception:

Roy H. Park Leadership Fellows Program alumni

The community for Park Leadership Fellows continues beyond graduation. To honor and build upon the unique experience that Park Fellows have at Johnson, connections between program alumni are fostered through social and professional networks. Park Fellows alumni stay connected with campus through newsletters, reunion and networking events, professional development opportunities and other programs. These activities are designed with a commitment to lifelong personal mastery and service leadership.

A key offering that is exclusive to the Park Fellows alumni community is a virtual workshop series developed and led by Park Fellow peers to build connection while exploring leadership themes. Past workshop topics have included: finding career fulfillment; developing executive presence; managing stress and building resilience; practicing mindfulness; and more. To request access to a past workshop, or pitch your own topic to present, Park Fellows alumni are encouraged to email the program director’s office.

Park Fellows put their leadership skills into practice after graduation with post-MBA placement into competitive roles with top employers. Program alumni have held influential roles across many industries. Park Fellows alumni are currently leading for impact at McKinsey, Bain, Boston Consulting Group, Google, Apple, Intel, Liberty Mutual, JP Morgan Chase, Starbucks, Nike, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Kraft Heinz, Procter & Gamble and many more!

For contact and other information about the alumni listed below, log in to CornellConnect.

Park Fellows alumni by class year