Women and their supporters from across campus filled the Lawrence Street Center’s Terrace Room on May 8. The crowd celebrated the graduation of this year’s Women’s Leadership Program cohort, a group of eleven women faculty and faculty-supporting staff members, over finger sandwiches and tea. The application-based program facilitates deep self-reflection and is designed to give developing academic leaders time, space, and guidance in exploring how they see themselves as leaders. It also provides targeted and personalized career mentorship.
At the event, the participants presented a vision they had for improving CU Denver in some way, big or small. Ideas ranged from mentorship for all faculty members to more ways to support student caregivers. The women also answered questions from the audience about their presentations and about what they learned in the program. “One thing I realized is how much I craved community,” said participant and Susan Stirrup, an instructor of chemistry and design in the College of Engineering, Design and Computing. “This has been so wonderful to have a community.”
The ceremony was hosted by Bryn Harris, PhD, who is a faculty fellow for strategic initiatives with the Office of Faculty Affairs and leads the program. “This has been a wonderful journey for me, as well, watching you all thrive and shine today,” Harris said. “I can only imagine where you all are going to go in the future.”
