Professional Host

Join the hundreds of businesses, nonprofits, and government offices that volunteer to host our international visitors each year. From accountable government and anti-trafficking to water management and women in STEM, the diversity of our visitors’ expertise matches the diversity of Chicago’s professional sector.

Gain Insight

Visitors are eager to learn about best practices and innovations in their industries here in the U.S. and in Chicago. In turn, as professional hosts, you gain insight into the workings and trends of your industry abroad.

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Get to know your visitors

WorldChicago provides all professional hosts with visitors’ biographies, program objectives, and when available, talking points in advance of the visitors’ arrival.

What is Professional Hosting?

Meetings

• Last approximately 60 to 90 minutes

• Informal, off-the-record discussion of your organization’s work, current projects, and/or industry practices

• Flexible format: typically an introduction or brief presentation followed by Q&A

• Flexible location: meetings can take place in your office, on a site visit, as a tour, at a café, at WorldChicago’s office, etc

• Delegations range in size from 1 to 25

• Meetings are conducted in English; Interpretation provided as needed

• Feel free to ask questions of the visitors!

Meetings-Based Programs: International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), Open World, Community Connections, Youth Leadership

Workshops

• Last approximately 1–4 hours; Longer as needed

• In-depth training focused on communications, action planning, advocacy, or other leadership skills

Workshop-Based Programs: Youth Leadership, Community Connections, IVLP

Fellowships/Internships

• Range from 1 to 4 weeks

• Consists of job shadow, observation, research, small administrative projects

• Appoint a staff member to be Fellow’s supervisor and primary point-of-contact with WorldChicago

Fellowship-Based Programs: Professional Fellows Program, Shanghai Management Fellows

Learn More

For more information on professional hosting, contact Jennifer Dixon, Director of Programs, at jdixon@worldchicago.org.

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We took Nino to meetings with elected and appointed officials, community groups, and one of the school closing hearings… She was impressed with the children who presented testimony on why their school should not be closed.

Ken Gunn, Professional Fellowship Host

We have worked with the following Chicago Companies and Organizations:

  • 2112
  • 270 Strategies
  • Actuarial Research Group
  • After Care; Matter
  • AgResources Group
  • AllCell Technologies, LLC
  • AtkCo
  • Blue 1647
  • BMO Financial
  • Catapult
  • CDL Business Consulting
  • Center for Tax and Budget Accountability
  • Center for Youth Violence Prevention
  • CF Financial
  • Chicago Area Project (CAP)
  • Chicago Community Trust
  • Chicago Czezh Center
  • Chicago Delightful Pastries
  • Chicago Dept. of Aviation (Jamie Rhee)
  • Chicago Fair Trade
  • Chicago Foundation for Women
  • Chicago International Trade Commissioners
  • Chicago Learning Exchange
  • Chicago Police
  • Chicago Public Library - Chinatown
  • Chicago Public Radio
  • Chicago Public Schools
  • Chicago Regional Computer Forensic Lab
  • Chicago Run
  • Chicago Tribune
  • Chicago-Kent Law School
  • Chicagoland Chamber
  • Choose Chicago
  • City of Chicago Department of Innovation and Technology
  • City of Chicago, Department of Innivation and Technology
  • City of Chicago, Board of Ethics
  • Coleman Entrepreneurship Center
  • Cook County Commission on Human Rights
  • Cook County Treasurers Office
  • Cook County Youth Services Department
  • Crowe Horwath LLP
  • Cure Violence
  • DePaul University Coleman Entrepreneurship Center
  • Design Dance
  • Digital4Startups
  • Dream for Kids Foundation
  • Easterseals
  • Evolve Security
  • Five to Nine
  • Footprint
  • Friends of the Park
  • Get IN Chicago
  • Glass Mountain Capital
  • Global Strategiest Association
  • Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association
  • Greenheart Shop Warehouse
  • Holistic
  • Illinois Chamber of Commerce
  • Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT)
  • Illinois Technology Association
  • IMC Financial
  • IMC Financial
  • Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago (ICNC)
  • Interfaith Youth Core
  • International Trade Association of Greater Chicago
  • Juvenile Justice Initiative
  • Kids off the Block
  • Kurth Lampe
  • Lake Forest College
  • LEAP Innoventions
  • Learning Dimensions
  • Loyola University Health System
  • Luxe Bloom
  • Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
  • McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University
  • Mikva Challenge
  • Moonrise Works
  • NBC5 Chicago - WMAQ-TV
  • Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
  • Northern Illinois University, School of Business
  • Northwestern Univeristy, Knight Lab
  • Northwestern Univeristy, Medill School of Journalism & Justice Program Office
  • Northwestern University, Farha Research Group
  • Outlier
  • Packed with a Purpose
  • Rebuilding Exchange
  • Return Runners
  • ShipBob
  • Sofitel Chicago
  • Soleil Global Communications Group
  • Southwest Organizing Project
  • Stan Johnson Company
  • Start-up Port
  • State Representative
  • Syrian Community Network
  • The Apparel Agency
  • The Field Museum of Natural History
  • The J.E. Goldberg Group, LLC
  • The Night Ministry
  • Thinkinc.
  • T-Moblie
  • UChicago Center for Middle Eastern Studies
  • UChicago Department of Political Science
  • University of Illinois at Chicago Great Cities Institute
  • University of Illinois at Chicago, Great Cities Institute
  • University of Illinois at Chicago, Office of Global Engagement
  • US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • US District Court Northern District of Illinois
  • US Small Business Administraion (SBA) Illinois Office
  • VelvetStyle
  • VestedWorld
  • Walter Payton High School
  • WishYourPrice
  • WiSTEM
  • Woman's Business Development Center
  • Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global (WEGG)
  • Women Tech Founders
  • Women's Center at Loyola
  • Working Bikes
  • World Business Chicago
  • WVON
  • YWCA
  • American Councils for International Education
  • CRDF Global
  • Cultural Vistas
  • FHI360
  • Graduate School, USA
  • Hands Along the Nile
  • Illinois Global Scholar
  • Institute of International Education
  • Meridian International Center
  • Mississippi Consortium for International Development
  • Open World Leadership Center
  • World Learning
  • Boeing Company
  • Claridge House
  • Fulbright Association Chicago Chapter
  • Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile
  • Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown
  • Fermilab
  • Judith Dunbar Hines Culinary Services
  • Network for Teaching Entreprenrurship
  • Shirley Ryan Abilities Lab
  • Chicago Park District