The Women’s Leadership Institute (WLI) is a partnership between the Women for FSU and the FSU Center for Leadership and Social Change. WLI strives to enhance student participants’ leader identity and leadership capacity. By participating, students improve their emotionally intelligent leadership through increases in healthy self-esteem and authenticity, as well as through the role they play in developing relationships and capitalizing on differences.

"To build other women up, create a network of community and support to create change."

Key learning concept of 2016 Institute

WLI engages 49 diverse undergraduate women, seven faculty, staff, alumna facilitators and nine committee members in three days of learning and applying leadership, gender theory and practice. 

Topics explored include:

• Naming and understanding current campus, community, state, national and global contexts that influence individual identities and that impact women’s experiences,
• Developing awareness and recognition of individual and systemic bias that can keep women out of leadership roles and question their capacity to lead, and
• Acknowledging and celebrating women’s capacity to change this system and lead the change they wish to see in the world.

"Women are strong. We can be the change we seek out in the world. We can."

-2016 Institute participant

WLI brings student participants together with faculty, staff, alumna, campus and community women leaders to explore their leadership capacity and goals.

In only four years WLI has experienced growing success and local and national recognition. Descriptions of the experience from participants include “phenomenal and incredible”, “wonderful program”, “amazing weekend”, “love this experience so much”, “telling all of my friends to participate”. More students can participate with your donation. Furthermore, all gifts will be matched up to $3,750, thanks to a challenge grant from the Women for FSU Executive Committee. You can ensure that many more students will have this affirming and strengthening experience by supporting our women leaders of tomorrow through the Women’s Leadership Institute.