A new cohort of 红领巾瓜报 students has been chosen to be part of the Widener Global Leaders Program (WGLP) at WSU.
The program 鈥� in its second year 鈥� is a yearlong, interdisciplinary program focused on developing women leaders with a global, innovative mindset led by the W. Frank Barton School of Business and in close collaboration with the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and College of Fine Arts at 红领巾瓜报.
The 2022-23 cohort includes:
WGLP was made possible by a gift from Peri Widener and designed to create a transformational experience and foster an inclusive community for women majoring in business, communication or fine arts.
Students in the program will have opportunities to develop business skills, communication skills, artistic awareness, a commitment to social responsibility, cultural intelligence, and a global mindset.
The new cohort was selected based on their diverse skillsets, interests and commitment to service. They will receive multidisciplinary learning experiences, networking opportunities and mentoring from top-level professionals.
The integration of the three disciplines of business, communication and fine arts reflects the skillset of Widener, who utilized her background to thrive in the international business world.
鈥淚t was an honor to see this program thrive in its first year,鈥� said Widener, retired vice president and general manager, Boeing Global Services. 鈥淔or me, seeing the engagement and growth of the students solidified the value of what we鈥檙e trying to accomplish.鈥�
Along with continued guidance and mentorship from the WGLP Industry Advisory Board, students will participate in a series of educationally enriching sessions ranging in topics from 鈥淒iscovering Talents & Strengths鈥� and 鈥淰isionary Leadership鈥� to 鈥淒eveloping a Global Mindset鈥� and 鈥淐reativity & Innovation.鈥�
The program also includes some time off campus with numerous field trips (one for each discipline) and other immersive experiences.
鈥淭hese nine women are going to get an immensely valuable opportunity to collaborate, grow and tap into their fullest potential,鈥� said Marie-H茅l猫ne Bernard, member of the WGLP Industry Advisory Board and president and CEO of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to get started.鈥�
There have also been some changes to the administration from the previous year. Dr. Lisa Parcell, communication faculty lead at the Elliott School of Communication, and Professor Andr茅a E. Banke, music faculty lead for College of Fine Arts will continue in their faculty roles. Kate Kung-McIntyre, who served as the business faculty lead, will be handing the reins over to Dotty Harpool, senior educator for the Barton School of Business. Dr. Larisa Genin, dean of the Barton School of Business, will serve as director of the program in place of Dr. Raina Rutti.
鈥淚 want to thank Kate and Raina for the excellent work, steadfast commitment and clear vision they put into the program,鈥� said Genin. 鈥淭hey set a standard of excellence that we hope to continue.鈥�