News Highlights

Inaugural Midwest Women's Leadership Institute aims to inspire, guide

June 21-27

A new Midwest Women’s Leadership Institute June 21-27 at Minnesota State University, Mankato aims to help women in higher education strengthen their leadership skills and map their futures.

2009-06-02
Minnesota State University, Mankato Media Relations Office news release [6/2/2009]

A new Midwest Women’s Leadership Institute June 21-27 at Minnesota State University, Mankato aims to help women in higher education strengthen their leadership skills and map their futures.

The institute – the creation of several Minnesota State Mankato female faculty and staff members who encourage women’s leadership development – will attract about a dozen participants to its inaugural session this month.

The institute’s purpose is to help college and university women expand their abilities and develop leadership goals that are inspired by nationally recognized experts, guided by faculty advisers and supported by other women leaders.

It will feature as assessment facilitator Jean Kummerow, a psychologist, consultant, author and trainer and international Myers-Briggs expert. Participants also will hear numerous speakers, including senior vice-chancellor Linda Baer, college president Judy Rogers, college dean Lynn Gangone, professor Marilyn Grady, provost Scott Olson and CEO Jonathon Zierdt.

Institute faculty members will match participants with advisers who will provide face-to-face counsel during the event and online advice afterward.
Advisors will help participants set goals for the coming year and later will fine-tune the goals and develop leadership plans. The institute includes a closed, online social network that participants may use to stay in touch and maintain professional relationships.

Institute speakers include:

• Rogers, president of Cottey College, a two-year, independent, liberal arts and sciences college for women in Nevada, Mo.
• Baer, senior vice-chancellor for academic and student affairs in the Chancellor's Office, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
• Gangone, dean of the women’s college at the University of Denver. She has more than 25 years of experience as a higher education senior administrator, faculty member, lobbyist and consultant.
• Grady, professor of educational administration at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. She is the founder and director of the Women in Leadership conference, and is founding editor of the Journal for Women in Educational Leadership.
• Olson, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Minnesota State Mankato. He is responsible for securing $21 million in private donations, $5 million in grants, and $1 million in state and federal appropriations for higher education projects, and was coauthor of iCommunication, a $20 million project funded by The Lilly Endowment to study digital media. In 2004 he won an Emmy Award and a Cine Golden Eagle award as executive producer of the documentary “Squeakers.”
• Zierdt, president and CEO of Greater Mankato Growth, Inc. In 2007 he helped create the organization by merging the Greater Mankato Chamber of Commerce/Convention and Visitor's Bureau and the Greater Mankato Economic Development Corporation.
  Participants will live in Julia A. Sears Hall, Minnesota State Mankato’s new, state-of-the-art, suite-style residence hall with numerous open meeting spaces.

The institute was developed by five staff and faculty members: Music faculty member and former interim affirmative action director Linda Duckett; alumni relations and special events director Jennifer Guyer-Wood; Center for Engaged Leadership director and educational leadership faculty member Jean Haar; educational studies faculty member Deborah Jesseman; and assistant to the president Carol Stallkamp.

Those interested in more information may visit www.mnsu.edu/mwli or may contact Haar at (507) 389-5434 or jean.haar@mnsu.edu.

Minnesota State Mankato is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, which comprises 32 state universities, community colleges, technical colleges and combined community and technical colleges located on 54 campuses across the state.

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