ORIENTATION

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • 6:00-8:00 PM

Academy Orientation + Team-Bonding Session
Ted's Montana Grill (Easton Town Center)

The journey begins with an energetic evening focused on connection, collaboration, and setting the tone for the six months ahead. Participants will meet their cohort, learn what to expect from the Academy, explore the Challenge Workbook and Community Impact Lab experience, and take part in interactive team-building facilitated by Rob Davlin and The Eureka Games. Dinner is included.

SESSION 1

Friday, October 9, 2026 • 2:00-4:00 PM

The Garden Theory: A Career Growth Framework
Brothers Drake Meadery (Grandview Heights)

Your career may be less like a ladder to climb and more like a garden to cultivate. In this opening curriculum session, participants will explore Dilara Casey’s Garden Theory framework and reflect on the relationships, experiences, skills, opportunities, and environments that shape meaningful professional growth. Through guided exercises and discussion, participants will consider what they are currently cultivating, what may need to be planted or pruned, and how to take greater ownership of their career and leadership development. Sandwiches/snacks and a meadery wine tasting are included.

SESSION 2

Wednesday, October 21, 2026 • 5:30-7:30 PM

Community Impact Lab I: Discovery
Land-Grant Brewing Co. (Franklinton)

The Community Impact Lab is a hands-on, semester-long experience that puts leadership into action. Working in small teams, participants will partner with a Central Ohio nonprofit or social-impact organization to explore a real challenge, bring fresh perspective to the table, and develop practical ideas and recommendations. Think of it as a think tank for good, moving from discovery to development to presentation. Teams will select an organizatio and challenge to explore more deeply throughout the Lab, then present their findings, ideas, and recommendations to the full cohort at the conclusion of the Impact Academy journey. Light bites, local craft beer, and non-alcoholic beverages are included.

Featured organizations for the Class of 2027 may include: Action for Children, The Crawford Crew, Dreams on Horseback, Femergy, For the Love of Primates, Home for Families, LifeCare Alliance, Little Bottoms Free Store, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, SOAP Project, and VoiceCorps.

SESSION 3

Friday, November 6, 2026 • 2:00-4:00 PM

Leadership in Practice: Understanding How You Lead, Communicate & Collaborate
Columbus Metropolitan Library: Gahanna Branch (Gahanna)

Facilitated by Integrated Leadership Systems (ILS), this session will invite participants to look more closely at how they lead, communicate, collaborate, and respond when things get real. Through interactive exercises, reflection, and practical tools, participants will explore their leadership tendencies, better understand how they impact others, and identify ways to become more intentional, adaptable, and effective. The goal is not just to learn about leadership, but to practice it in a way that feels useful, personal, and immediately applicable.

SESSION 4

Friday, November 20, 2026 • 2:00-4:00 PM

Getting to Know Columbus: City Discovery Bus Tour
Meeting location will be shared with participants (Downtown Columbus)

Get out of the classroom and experience Columbus as your classroom. Led by local historian and author Doug Motz, this guided bus tour will take participants through various downtown neighborhoods, landmarks, civic institutions, development, and stories that have shaped the city, and continue to shape where it is headed. Along the way, participants will gain a deeper understanding of Columbus and consider how place, history, leadership, and community intersect in creating the city we call home.

SESSION 5

Wednesday, December 9, 2026 • 6:00-8:00 PM

Finding Your Place & Purpose: A Storytelling Experience
Dawson Auditorium

Discovering purpose is often connected to the stories we carry and the experiences that shape us. In this signature storytelling session, five local leaders and changemakers will share personal narratives about career pivots, challenges, triumphs, identity, community, and the moments that helped them better understand their own place and purpose. Participants will leave with new perspectives on how storytelling can inspire others, deepen connection, and bring greater clarity to their own leadership journey. Light bites or sandwiches, snacks, and soft drinks are included.

SESSION 6

December 2026 • Scheduled by Each Small Group

Community Impact Lab II: Field Trip
Hosted by Community Partner Organizations

For the second phase of the Community Impact Lab, participants will step outside the traditional classroom and spend time directly with their assigned nonprofit or community partner. Each nonprofit organization will host its project team at its facility or another mutually agreed-upon location for a two-hour “field trip” & working session designed to deepen understanding of the organization, its challenge, and the context surrounding it. Teams will ask questions, test assumptions, gather feedback, and begin shaping practical ideas and recommendations. By the end of the session, each group should have a clearer direction, stronger partner alignment, and a solid foundation for its final presentation.

SESSION 7

Wednesday, January 13, 2027 • 6:00-8:00 PM

Leadership in Action: Service + Connection
My Very Own Blanket headquarters (Westerville)

Put leadership into action through an evening of service, connection, and community impact alongside members of the Impact Academy Advisory Board. Hosted at the My Very Own Blanket offices, participants will create no-sew fleece blankets for children in foster care while building meaningful relationships with community leaders and fellow cohort members. This hands-on experience offers a rewarding way to give back while exploring how service and community involvement can become part of your ongoing leadership journey. Pizza and beverages will be included.

BONUS Volunteer Experience

Monday, January 18, 2027 • Time & Location: TBA

MLK Day of Service with Besa

Honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through service alongside fellow cohort members and community volunteers. This optional bonus experience, offered in partnership with Besa, provides another opportunity to put leadership into action while supporting meaningful community needs.

SESSION 8

Friday, January 29, 2027 • 1:30-3:30 PM

Inside City Hall: Civic Leadership & Community Impact
Columbus City Hall, Council Chambers (Downtown Columbus)

Go behind the scenes of local government and explore how civic leadership shapes the future of Columbus. Participants will tour Columbus City Hall and take part in an interactive town hall-style conversation focused on public leadership, city priorities, community engagement, and the role emerging leaders can play in civic life. Coffee and snacks are included.

SESSION 9

Friday, February 12, 2027 • 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

The Power Lunch: Executive Leadership Roundtables
Ohio Dominican University

Sit down with accomplished Central Ohio executives and community leaders for candid, small-group conversations about leadership, decision-making, career growth, resilience, and lessons learned along the way. The Power Lunch gives participants rare access to senior leaders in an approachable roundtable environment where thoughtful questions and authentic conversation are encouraged. Lunch is provided.

SESSION 10

February TBA 2027 • 2:00-4:00pm

Community Impact Lab III: Presentations
Location: TBA

The Community Impact Lab culminates in a highly interactive presentation experience. Each project team will have approximately 7–10 minutes to outline the challenge it explored, share its proposed solution or recommendations, and explain the thinking behind its approach. Following each presentation, nonprofit partners, facilitators, and fellow cohort members will ask questions, provide feedback, and offer advice in a friendly Shark Tank-style format. This is not a competition. It is an opportunity to test ideas, sharpen recommendations, and learn from the creativity and perspectives of the entire cohort.

SESSION 11

March TBA 2027 • 5:30-8:00 PM

Leadership Through Nonprofit Board Service
Location: TBA

Serving on a nonprofit board can be one of the most meaningful ways emerging leaders contribute to the community while gaining valuable governance and leadership experience. Participants will hear from nonprofit and board leaders about responsibilities, expectations, strategic decision-making, and the rewards and challenges of board service. The session will also help participants better understand how to identify board opportunities aligned with their skills, interests, and values. Catered dinner will be provided.

SESSION 12 + COMMENCEMENT

Friday, March 26, 2027 • 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM

Columbus Emerging Leaders’ Summit + Impact Academy Commencement
Location: TBA

The six-month curriculum concludes at the Columbus Emerging Leaders’ Summit, bringing participants into a broader community of professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders from across Central Ohio. Throughout the Summit, participants will engage in leadership programming, meaningful conversations, and new connections while reflecting on how far they have come. Breakfast and lunch are included.

The event will also include a special Columbus Impact Academy Commencement, recognizing the Class of 2027 and presenting graduation certificates as participants officially transition from cohort members to Impact Academy alumni.

It is both a celebration of the journey and a launch into what comes next.