International Emerging Leaders Conference (IELC) 
Started in 2010, The International Emerging Leaders Conference (IELC) is believed to be the first of its kind hosted at an American school during the academic year. Each fall, IELC brings high school students from all over the globe together for a week to collaborate, build intercultural connections, learn from prominent scholars and leaders in the local Richmond community, and work in multinational teams using a design-thinking process to create innovative potential solutions to an identified challenge from each of the participating countries. 

The conference includes programs designed to help delegates share and learn about each other’s culture and traditions and share with students throughout the Collegiate community with classroom visits and interactive presentations. The conference culminates with a Design Pitch evening, open to the entire Collegiate community, where each team presents their potential solutions to their designated challenge. 

Students enrolled in Collegiate’s Senior capstone course, International Emerging Leaders: Global Conference, participate in and help plan aspects of the conference. Collegiate families host our visiting students providing an additional cross-cultural experience for all involved. 

In recent years, the students and faculty from Collegiate's partner schools, that are listed below, have participated in IELC.