By Cheri Hawkins
As a seminal annual event offered by NIRSA and 18 other partnering associations, the Women’s Leadership Institute lived up to the high expectations of its partners and attendees.
The Institute was held in two locations, Dana Point, California and Amelia Island, Florida, in order to accommodate the196 women attendees who came to build their networks, explore personal and professional goals, and share their experiences with peers.
Women’s Leadership Institute attendees enjoyed numerous educational sessions and networking opportunities
The annual Women’s Leadership Institute is comprised of four-day of educational sessions, keynote speeches, and plenary sessions that provide women the opportunity to learn more about topics such as gender communication, conducting quality employment searches, negotiating salaries, and career mapping. The 2012’s Institute sponsors and partners provided additional educational content for popular sessions, including financial wellness and social media, individual career counseling, and roundtable discussions with higher education association executives.
Delegates were able to network and build connections with women of various ages, experience levels, and functional areas within the field of student affairs during receptions meals, and fitness events hosted at the hotel. Through the structured, yet individualized educational sessions and professional development opportunities, participants described the Institute experience as invaluable, one-of-a-kind, and life-changing.
Via an official assessment of the 2012 Women’s Leadership Institute, attendees were able to submit comments about their overall experiences at the Women’s Leadership Institute. One delegate stated, “One of the things that distinguished this professional development event from others in which I’ve participated was the level of engagement on the part of the institute faculty. You can tell that they are really invested in the success of fellow women and really enjoy being a part of the institute. Another said, “Overall, the [Women’s Leadership Institute] continues to be a valuable experience. In a male dominated area, it is important for me to connect with female colleagues. I will continue to participate and support WLI. I will also encourage others to participate. Thank you for another great year!” A quantitative point of view reiterated the success of Women’s Leadership Institute, as well. Via official assessment of the 2012 Women’s Leadership Institute boasted the following data:
- 94 percent of attendees reported that their experience met or exceeded their expectations.
- 95 percent of attendees would recommend the Women’s Leadership Institute to a friend or colleague.
- 89 percent of the respondents believed the topics covered by the institute faculty were excellent.
- 85 percent of the 2012 attendee assessment respondents believed the learning objectives were met.
- 95 percent of those who believed that the learning objectives were met, also believed that the value of the program was excellent.
Based on the positive feedback of this year’s Institute, along with the success of the previous programs, the Women’s Leadership Institute will again be offered at Amelia Island, Fla., Dec. 3–6, 2013. A west coast location is being sought for December 2014.
For those interested in attending the Women’s Leadership Institute, please visit https://www.acui.org/wli more information.
