The Henry Crown Fellowship Program, established in 1997, seeks to develop the next generation of community-spirited leaders, providing them with the tools necessary to meet the challenges of business and civic leadership in the 21st century. The program is a unique mix of seminars designed to broaden the perspectives of the participants and hone their skills in values-centered leadership. It honors the memory of Chicago industrialist Henry Crown (1896-1990).
CRITERIA
Individuals recommended as candidates for the Henry Crown Fellowship Program should be:
- entrepreneurial executives between the ages of 25 and 45 who have achieved substantial success in creating and leading dynamic organizations, primarily in the business sector;
- at an “inflection point” in their lives or careers—i.e. having already achieved professional success, they are ready to consider what broader role they might take on in their communities or globally;
- possessing a breadth of experience and level of maturity that will enable them to contribute effectively to the seminar experience;
- from diverse backgrounds in terms of ethnicity, race, gender, and geography, with a primary focus on candidates from the U.S.
THE PROGRAM
Each class of 20 Henry Crown Fellows is chosen from a wide pool of accomplished entrepreneurial leaders. The two-year program comprises (i) a structured series of four seminars—approximately 25 days in total—under the guidance of skilled senior moderators of the Aspen Institute along with (ii) a required leadership project of each Fellow’s own design and choosing. The Fellow’s participation will be without cost to themselves or their organizations, exclusive of transportation to and from seminars. Seminars will be held at the Aspen Institute campuses in Aspen, Colorado and on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, as well as at select locations around the globe.
NOMINATION PROCEDURES
Individuals may not apply to the Henry Crown Fellowship Program; they must be nominated by recognized leaders of business and community organizations or by Aspen Institute trustees, Fellows, senior mentors, or members of the Henry Crown Fellowship Board of Overseers. Nominators are asked to submit a letter stating their reasons for recommending the candidate, with a special focus on (a) the candidate’s entrepreneurial experience and (b) why you think this is the right time in his/her life and career to participate in the program. Please include a résumé indicating the candidate’s educational background, career path, current position, age, address and phone number, voluntary activities and any additional information that will help us evaluate their qualifications for the program.
Nominations for the 2014 Class will be accepted from Sept. 1, 2013 through Sept. 30, 2013. You may submit candidates at any time using the online form, and they will be held for consideration for the following year. Thank you for your support of the Henry Crown Fellowship Program.