The Wesleyan College Creating Equal Opportunities (CEO) Institute is a two-semester leadership and career development experience that begins in the spring of a student’s first year. CEO helps students grow as confident, connected leaders through immersive workshops, mentorship, and exclusive events. The program also fulfills the career development requirement and prepares students for early internship opportunities.
The Creating Equal Opportunities (CEO) program isn't just another requirement to check off—it's your launchpad for college success and beyond. Starting in your first year, CEO puts you ahead of the curve with real-world skills, meaningful connections, and leadership experiences that most students don't access until much later in their college journey.
While most students wait until junior year to begin serious networking, CEO connects you with accomplished alumnae and industry professionals through exclusive events like the Alumnae Brunch and Industry Day—all before the end of your first year. These early connections often lead to mentorships, internship opportunities, and a support system that spans your entire college career.
CEO doesn't just teach leadership theory—it builds practical leadership muscles through The Student Leadership Challenge framework and hands-on experiences. You'll learn to lead authentically, communicate effectively, and solve problems creatively—skills that immediately set you apart in internship interviews and campus leadership roles.
By replacing PDE 350 with CEO 100 and 200, you'll be prepared for meaningful internships earlier in your college journey. While peers are still figuring out their resumes, you'll already have professional connections, polished application materials, and the confidence to pursue competitive opportunities after just your first year.
Through the Hackathon experience and Design Thinking challenges, you'll tackle actual issues facing local organizations. This isn't theoretical classroom work—it's building solutions that make a difference while developing the collaborative innovation skills employers most value in today's graduates.
CEO begins with an immersive retreat designed to build deep connections with diverse peers who share your ambition. These relationships grow through two semesters of collaboration, creating a supportive community that becomes one of your most valuable resources at Wesleyan and beyond.
CEO graduates gain access to additional experiences that further distinguish your college journey:
CEO: Creating Equal Opportunities begins in the spring semester of your first year. Recruitment for the next cohort happens each fall, and selected students will be invited to participate starting in January.
The CEO Institute is designed for students who want to lead with confidence, build meaningful connections, and prepare early for internships and career success. Participants will complete CEO 100 and 200 during their first and second years, replacing the PDE 350 career development course.
If you're a first-year student interested in joining the next cohort, watch for information sessions and sign-up opportunities starting Fall 2025. For questions, contact the Center for Career Development at careerdevelopment@wesleyancollege.edu.
Wesleyan College is privileged to steward many arts and cultural events and share them with the community. Most are free and open to the public. Wesleyan art galleries are open M-F 1-5PM and on Wesleyan Market Saturdays from 10AM-2PM.
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Wesleyan competes in intercollegiate athletics with teams in soccer, softball, basketball, hockey, beach volleyball, indoor volleyball and flag football.
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