Women in Leadership Curriculum
Participants will experience the challenges of leadership through varied curriculum components. Structured seminar activities promote learning from reflection on these experiences. The curriculum components are as follows:
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Leadership skill development
Interviews with Local Leaders
A major component of the Women in Leadership program is networking. There are several components built-in to the program that allow this to happen.
Coro teaches a tool called Effective Inquiry. We practice effective inquiry by bringing female leaders into the office, as well as interviewing them in their natural work environment during site visits. We have the pleasure of connecting participants to very influential leaders within businesses, non-profits, government, and local communities.
Some recent interviewees include Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Heather Arnet the Executive Director of the Women and Girls Foundation, and Audrey Russo the Vice President of Operations for MAYA Design.
Site Visits to Regional Organizations
Doing site visits as a group allows participants to make greater connections with each other, and with the site visit employees. There are many incredible women doing great things at these organizations. They are having a huge effect on operations and results!
Some former site visits include:
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Maya Design
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Pittsburgh Pirates
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Carlow University
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Dimensions Development International (DDI)
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Union Project
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Chatham University
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City Theatre Company
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Allegheny County Department of Human Services
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WQED
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Buchanan Ingersol & Rooney, P.C.
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Allegheny Conference on Community Development (ACCD)
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The Office of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
Group Projects
Each class has the opportunity to build consenus around a percieved issue facing women in south western pennsylvania and then plan and implement a project addressing that need. Some recent group projects include:
WIL Power
WIL Power, the group project of Class VII, is a speed networking event that brings together the most recently graduated class, as well as alumni, coaches, and interviewees in the WIL community. WIL Power takes place upon graduation of a class, and is a great opportunity to network with the many successful alumni of WIL.
Professional Woman's Networking Event
The WIL X class partnered with the organization Dress for Success to plan a networking event which was held on November 29, 2007. The Professional Women's Netowrking Event provided women with the opportunity to network with other professionals, as well as receive valuable information and feedback.
Night of Pampering
The 11th class of Women in Leadership have undertaken a service project. They hosted a “Night of Pampering” for the women of Bethlehem Haven on April 10, 2008. Bethlehem Haven is a non-profit organization providing a number of services including emergency shelter, transitional housing, health and employment services to women in the
The coaching component is an opportunity for participants to develop and implement a strategic plan for obtaining their goals & objectives. Through the program, WIL participants are paired with a person who serves as a leader in their profession or community. A coach is a person who serves as your personal champion and holds you accountable for results related to your goals. Coaching is designed to be a structural process focused on established professional goals. The coach is generally someone who the participant can relate to as a partner that proactively guides them to achieving successful results.
The Personal Strategic Plan provides a framework for setting outcomes in participants’ professional, personal and community lives and developing a strategic plan for achieving these outcomes with support from a personal coach.
