KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010 / NEWS
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CAMPUS
University hosts young female leaders from Morocco, Egypt
BY SARAH HENRY editor@kansan.com
A grant from the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has allowed the University to host Women's Civic Leadership from the Heartland this month. The program focuses on teaching leadership and women's political history to women from Morocco and Egypt. Program participants are pursuing undergraduate degrees and were selected by the embassies in their home countries.
The Women's Civic Leadership from the Heartland program began July 6 and will end Aug.11, but
the training and networking won't stop when they leave. The grant
will allow the University to continue networking, host webinars, and fund microprojects in the women's own communities through March.
demic director.
Associate professors Mary Banwart, Hannah Britton, and Andi
"Because of
"These women are going to be the future of their countries."
HANNAH BRITTON Co-principal investigator for Women's Civic Leadership from the Heartland
Witzcak worked to put together the grant proposal for the project. They are now co-principal investigators in the program, and Banwart is aca-
our strong track record with the Office of International Programs and learning programs for international scholars, our emphasis on leadership training, political science, women's studies, and service
learning, I think we had all of the components necessary for a successful bid at this grant;" Britton said.
Participants stay in University housing and attend guest lectures by professors of political science, communications and history. They receive leadership training from professors Banwart and Witzcak, and take part in home stays, experiencing a variety of worship services and visiting regional points of interest.
The program provides meetings with female leaders in academics, government, law, business, military and media.
Participants will be traveling in their last week to Philadelphia, where they will meet with Judge Marjorie Osterlund Rendell, spend a few days visiting the National
Constitution Center and learn about women's history and constitutional processes.
Finally, the participants will head to Washington, D.C., where they will meet women active in politics academics and the media.
Banwart, Britton and Witzcak said they hoped that this continuation of the program would offer the women support when they returned home and they hoped that the skills they gained in this program would carry them through their careers as leaders in their communities.
"These women are going to be the future of their countries," Britton said.