The Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business (CCAL) launches conversations between students and leading professionals

This winter, the Canadian Centre for Advanced Leadership in Business (CCAL) launched Lunch with Leaders, a unique program that connects smalls groups of students with prominent business leaders in Calgary.

In order to allow for high impact conversations in an intimate setting, each is limited to a small group of Haskayne students.  However, the lunches have been frequent and CCAL hopes to increase them.  Students may apply for the program by filling out an online application.

Lucas Maliniak, BTMA student currently on a co-op work term advises students who are considering participating in the program to “go in with an open mind, get ready to leave with lots to think about.”

The winter session kicked off with big picture considerations with Colin Jackson, Chair of Rosebud Centre for the Arts, ImagiNation 150 and other boards, and ended on with incisive insights with Arlene Dickinson, CEO of Venture Communications and dragon to Dragons’ Den. Forty-five students and 10 leaders participated in the program during the Winter 2017 semester. This spring, we welcomed Bonnie DuPont, first woman to serve as the President of the Calgary Petroleum Club, Enbridge’s past-Group Vice President, Corporate Resources and until 2016, Chair of the University of Calgary’s Board of Governors. The spring session will feature some prominent businesswomen who have had great impacts on not only the university but the greater business community.

CCAL Director Jenny Krahn says the experience for students has been amazing.  “The synergy  is powerful. Students love the opportunity to converse with senior industry leaders in such an intimate setting; they leave the lunch energized and inspired.”

Leaders also enjoy the experience.

“I learned so much and love spending time with students and our future generation,” says Sam Kolias, Haskayne’s Distinguished Business Leader recipient in 2016 who participated in the Lunch with Leaders program.

The small group atmosphere allows for open and organic conversation with topics ranging from creating prosperity in the current North American political landscape to the elements of robust decision-making to the simple but often defying question, “What does it mean to be a leader?”

CCAL’s new program’s critical elements are experienced leaders, enthusiastic students and an engaging conversation. Leaders across industries and areas are selected to enable students to receive a wide breadth of insight.

Many highly recognizable leaders participated in the program, including the President of the University of Calgary, Elizabeth Cannon, past-CEO of Talisman Hal Kvisle, entrepreneur Eric Termuende, former CFO of Shaw, Steve Wilson and current VP Human Resources at ARC Resources, Lisa Olsen. While diverse in personal traits, industries, areas and roles, the leaders share a commitment to advanced leadership principles.

Babbal Brar, a finance student graduating this spring, urges other students to participate: “Ask the questions that you truly want the answers to, because these opportunities are rare.”