The Best Educational Experience I’ve Ever Had

In August, I was in Philadelphia attending the CUES CEO Institute I: Strategic Planning course at The Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania). If you’ve even considered enrolling in the CEO Institute – do it. For me, the experience was incredible and I learned many concepts/ideas I will be working on incorporating at Integris.

You might be wondering what makes this sort of program different than, say, a university or college course. My education at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George was exceptional; however, there were many elements that made this particular educational experience stand out as the best I’ve ever had. First of all, the instructors at the CEO Institute are world class. They are experts in their respective fields and every day was entertaining.  Clearly, this makes learning transfer that much easier!

Secondly, many of the participants in the CEO Institute already have significant knowledge in many of the topics we discussed and learned about. As such, the class dynamic was unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I find it extremely valuable when others are able to add real world (i.e. Credit Union) context to some of the core ideas being presented.

Finally, the learning experience does not end in the classroom. The evenings were filled with insightful conversation, which was an unexpected added value to attending The Wharton School. While I was nervous at how green I am when it comes to the Credit Union world (I was the youngest attendee and most junior in terms of position), my colleagues at the CEO Institute were extremely supportive.

Thank you again CUES, for giving me this opportunity. It was a blast and I’m very much looking forward to attending the CEO Institute II at Cornell University next year!

Alex Castley