Essentials of Leadership

Essentials of Leadership is an intensive, two-week summer opportunity for a select group of students seeking an introduction to outstanding undergraduate business education. Participants will develop leadership, teamwork, and communication skills, while learning from and collaborating with Wharton faculty, guest speakers, and other talented high school students from around the world. This new online experience involves case competitions and interactive digital simulations.

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Overview

Essentials of Leadership prepares talented high school students to become leaders in the global economy. Through a curriculum of rigorous coursework and activities, students will build skills in emotional intelligence, problem-solving, interpersonal communication, and effective teamwork and collaboration.

This program blends leadership theory with practice, including two immersive business simulations, case studies, and a final industry leadership project.

Key themes and topics include: 

  • Developing Self-Awareness
    • Exploring leadership styles and personal strengths 
    • The Johari Window and emotional intelligence 
    • Building self-confidence and resilience as a leader 
  • Leadership Characteristics and Principles 
    • Situational leadership and adapting to context 
    • Identifying the traits of effective leaders 
  • Teamwork and Collaboration 
    • Stages of team development 
    • Characteristics of high-performing teams 
    • Leading and contributing in group projects 
  • Negotiation and Conflict Resolution 
    • Strategies for group negotiation 
    • Managing disagreements and pressure effectively 
  • Strategic Planning and Decision-Making 
    • Setting SMART goals and creating actionable plans 
    • Analyzing industries and competitive landscapes 
    • Case studies in ethical decision-making 
  • Business Simulations 
    • OPEQ Negotiation Simulation: competing and cooperating in groups 
    • Wildfire Simulation: crisis management and decision-making under pressure
  • Communication and Presentation Skills 
    • Crafting persuasive arguments and leadership messages 
    • Leading with clarity and confidence 
    • Presenting team projects to peers and instructors

By the end of the program, students will have practiced leadership in multiple contexts—negotiating, leading teams, making ethical decisions, and presenting ideas. They will leave with a deeper understanding of who they are as leaders and how to apply their skills in school, community, and future careers. 

Learn more:

Participants who successfully complete all requirements of the program will earn a Wharton Global Youth Certificate of Completion. 

Schedule

Course Structure  

Daily participation and engagement are required from Monday through Friday, with a few exceptions noted below. Each day will feature a variety of activities hosted within the Wharton Online Learning Platform, including: 

  • 2 hours of live online lecture led by Wharton instructors
  • 1 hour of TA-led live online recitations
  • Interactive business simulations
  • Facilitated small group discussions
  • Collaborative small group activities*
  • Independent work 

Live online lectures follow the schedule outlined below, with one designated session time for all students. However, for recitations, students should select one of the two available time slots that best fits their time zone and/or personal preferences. To ensure the quality of group work, once a recitation time is selected, students are expected to attend the same recitation session every weekday and may not switch between sessions. 

Course Schedule 

Time: 

  • Live Online Lecture (Required)
  • Monday – Friday: 11:00AM-1:00PM Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-4)
  • Live Online Recitation** (Required)
    • Recitation A: 1:00PM – 2:00PM Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-4)
      • OR
    • Recitation B: 9:00PM – 10:00PM Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-4)

( Note: The same content will be presented in each recitation session; students will choose one recitation session that best suits their schedules.) 

Schedule Exceptions 

Students participating in Session 1, June 16 – June 27 should note the following schedule difference: 

  • Thursday, June 19 – classes will not meet due to the Juneteenth holiday
  • Saturday, June 21 – classes will meet as a makeup 

*Small Group Activities: Within small groups students will work collaboratively on a capstone project, which may require additional live meetings outside of scheduled class or recitation time, to be scheduled at the students’ convenience. 

**Recitations: Students are required to attend a 1-hour TA-led daily recitation, choosing from one of two available time slots: 1:00-2:00 PM or 9:00-10:00 PM (GMT-4). If these do not fit their schedule, we offer flexible one-on-one TA office hours that can be scheduled based on students' availability. Recitations are designed as skill-building workshops, and promote a deeper understanding of the lecture content through exercises in practical application. It is also a great opportunity for students to connect with current Penn students (the TAs) to learn more about college life and skills. 

Technical Requirements 

In order to fully participate in this course, you will need a computer that meets minimum system requirements for both Canvas LMS and Zoom Videoconferencing. A camera and microphone are required. Refer to the following links: 

All programming originates from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (Eastern Daylight Time)

Eligibility

Eligibility

High school students currently enrolled in grades 9-12 with demonstrated leadership ability. International students are welcome.

Admission

Admission to the online Essentials of Leadership is selective. Eligible candidates should demonstrate a record of academic excellence, formal and informal leadership roles, and a genuine interest in developing leadership skills.

Please note that participation in Essentials of Leadership does not guarantee admission into Penn.

Instructional Team

Program Leader: Keith Ellison

Keith D. Ellison teaches management communication at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. His corporate background includes positions at IBM, Proctor & Gamble and Manor Care, Inc.

He currently runs the Ellison Group, Inc., a leadership development and management consulting firm, with an emphasis on improving managerial and communication skills and cycle times of operational processes. He has worked with such clients as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lockheed Martin, Novo Nordisk and CIGNA.

Ellison also facilitates a six-month leadership development course for the Martin Luther King Development Institute. He also serves as the program director for the Urban League of Philadelphia Entrepreneurship Center, which leads a team of consultants in providing business advisory services and training to entrepreneurs in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Ellison earned an MBA from the Wharton School and a B.S. in electrical engineering and mathematics from Carnegie Mellon University.

Teaching Assistants

Teaching Assistants consist of both undergraduate and graduate students from the University of Pennsylvania. TAs facilitate small-group discussions, ensure student understanding, assist with final project development, and hold office hours to answer student questions and share their Penn and Wharton experiences.

Dates

  • Jun 15 - Jun 26, 2026
  • Jul 6 - Jul 17, 2026

Location

Online

Request Info

Application Deadlines

Priority deadline:

 

January 28, 2026

 

Final deadline:

 

Rolling admission

Additional Info

Contact

For more information, please contact whartonyouth@wharton.upenn.edu or call +1.516.414.5555.

"...the program outlined a four-year curriculum at Wharton through the videos shared by the professors which allowed me to gain insight into several different areas of business such as Business Law & Ethics and Management. I was able to apply the characters I had learned about high-performing teams to my own nonprofit organization and observed the success that followed...."

- Shreya B., Michigan, USA

INCLUDED IN ALL SUMMER ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Wharton Youth Network (WYN)

The Wharton Youth Network (WYN) is an active online community open to all Wharton Global Youth summer students as a way to connect to one another — and Wharton business learning — before, during, and after their programs. Featuring both live and independent programming, the Wharton Youth Network connects ambitious business students worldwide during 10 full weeks of Wharton-powered learning, collaboration, and discovery.

*The Wharton Youth Network is included in all online summer programs.

*In-person students have the chance to join the Wharton Youth Network for $199.

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