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Twenty-eight women from across ���ϲ����� earned selection to the University’s , an immersive learning experience uniquely designed to advance women leaders in higher education.

The cohort engages women in faculty and administrative positions, with three cohorts and nearly 75 participants since launching in the 2022-2023 academic year. Cohort 4 will begin meeting in January 2025 and will complete five experiential learning sessions by May. This newest cohort includes:

• Cathy Bottari
• Colleen Burton
• Rachel DuBois
• Lynn Farquhar
• Maria Ferrara
• Aileen Gallagher
• Tamara Hamilton
• Stephanie Jensen-Moulton
• Hua Jiang
• Veronica Jones
• Elizabeth Kubala
• Liz Lance
• Lisa Liparulo
• Yanhong Liu
• Ashley Lopez
• Jody Nyboer
• Andrea Persin
• Paula Possenti-Perez
• Farzana Rahman
• Kamala Ramadoss
• Anne Rauh
• Shannon Schantz
• Brianna Shults
• Yvonne Smith
• Emily Stewart
• Brooke Wears
• Melissa Young
• Michaline Younis

Cohort participants join capacity building sessions to practice and perfect essential leadership skills such as active listening, navigating change and how to inspire and influence others. Participants also gain institutional insights through presentations that afford a more comprehensive understanding of University operations and how to effectively manage cross-functional and inner disciplinary tasks.

One of the most important legacies of WiL and the cohorts, says co-founder Candace Campbell Jackson, lies in creating a true leadership community.

“Higher education demands and depends upon a team of collaborative leaders who can thoughtfully and authentically make decisions for the greater good,” says Campbell Jackson, senior vice president and chief of staff to Chancellor Kent Syverud. “This can happen when individual leaders know and respect how to engender mutual trust and show up, not just for themselves, but also for others. It’s incredibly rewarding to bring together women eager to cultivate those skillsets to make a difference for themselves while also lifting up their colleagues and collaborators.”

Co-founder Dara Royer, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, notes that WiL’s programs, such as Inspire speaking events and networking opportunities, are critical to the overall mission of the University.

“���ϲ����� wants to be known as a pacesetter in developing the talents and traits of tomorrow’s leaders,” says Royer. “WiL demonstrates the University’s significant commitment to fostering continued growth among women ready to influence all facets of higher education management.”

Steering Committee member Elisa Dekaney, who is associate provost for strategic initiatives, emphasizes that WiL represents an excellent opportunity for academic and administrative women to better understand their differing roles and work together.

“We’re bridging the divide that often exists between those who seek to lead in teaching and research and those who desire to head up the operational aspects of the University,” says Dekaney. “Further, it’s not just about career advancement. We want our graduates to be successful in their professional, personal and volunteer lives. Whatever their ‘next,’ we hope to be a catalyst that propelled women to grow and thrive.”

For more information, visit the  or email womeninleadership@syr.edu. All community members can participate in WiL programming.