By Kristen Gleason
Who are you now and who do you want to become? How are you going to get there and who’s going to help you?
If you’re a NIRSA member who fills various roles as supervisor, mentor, and educator, you may often find yourself asking these questions of your students and new professionals. But when was the last time you asked yourself these questions? If it’s been too long, the 2015 Women’s Leadership Institute taking place December 6–9 at the Ritz Carlton, Amelia Island in Amelia Island, Florida might just be your chance to reconnect with your personal and professional ambitions.
I know that my 2011 Women’s Leadership Institute experience—my very first women-specific leadership development event—left me feeling inspired. It helped me realize that I am solely responsible for creating and managing my career. No one is going to roll out the red carpet for me. I have to do that myself. The institute led me to the conclusion that it was time to get in the driver’s seat and create my own career. It was truly a valuable experience.
The 2015 Women’s Leadership Institute is quickly approaching and it’s not too late to take advantage of early bird deadline pricing, which ends on November 4. This unique professional opportunity will bring women from various campus functions together to learn how to develop leadership skills—negotiation, communication, change management, personal development—for a rapidly changing environment.
“Many of the takeaways from WLI were a personal reflection. I was able to share with my colleagues that women need to support one another,” says 2014 Women’s Leadership Institute attendee Mary Yemma, Assistant Director of Competitive Sports at North Carolina State University. “I have also taken many of the suggestions from the presentation on personal promotion and branding, and used those to update my social media, resume, and personal branding.”
Registration for this fantastic professional development opportunity is now open so join NIRSA members and our higher education partners on beautiful Amelia Island, Florida. This is a chance to make personal connections while gaining appreciation and understanding of the various roles and perspectives of colleagues working across campus.
And if you’re still not convinced that this is the event for you, take a look at “Reflections on the 2014 Women’s Leadership Institute” by Pam Su, Director of Campus Recreation at San Francisco State University and Annual Director on the NIRSA Board of Directors. Remember, early bird pricing ends on November 4, so register today!
For more information about the 2015 Women’s Leadership Institute, please contact NIRSA Director of Professional Development Kristen Gleason.
