
Magazine Showcases Women's Leadership Program
Liberal Education magazine showcases the UC Womens Leadership Program, now in its fourth year, as a possible model for advancement of women in higher education.
The article in the magazine, published by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, was written by Cynthia Berryman-Fink, Kristi Nelson and Brenda LeMaster, three of the 12 UC women involved in the programs start-up in 1999.
So far, 64 women have graduated from the program, which provides structured workshops on higher education issues. Participants apply and are selected from highly placed academic and administrative women on campus. The program also offers key leadership experience in the form of mentored internships. Sixteen women have served as interns.
While there are a number of national programs for women in higher education that provide leadership development in a residency format, the UC program differs from the norm in that it provides internships and mentors in a way that its participants do not have to distance themselves from their current employment on campus, says Berryman-Fink.
When the program was launched, only 18.7 percent of UCs deans were women. Now 29.4 percent of the deanships at UC are held by women and two more women have assumed vice provost roles since the programs inception, says Berryman-Fink.
The most recent interns in the program are:
- Jennifer Douglas-Pearce, associate professor of nursing at Raymond Walters College. Mentor: Brenda LeMaster, interim director, Adult Learning Center.
- Marcia Hern, professor of nursing. Mentor: Jim Plummer, associate vice president for finance.
- Antoinette Lucas, assistant controller. Mentor: Lee Mairose, senior principal, Seasongood & Mayer. Mairose represents the first mentor in the program from outside UC.
- Karen Sullivan, director, Budget Planning. Mentor: Kristi Nelson, vice provost for Academic Planning.
This year, the program, now known as the Womens Institute for Leadership Development, is investigating the possibilities of expansion to other institutions in the 15-member Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities. The launch date could be as soon as this fall. Already, member Miami University has visited UC to learn more about the program.
Related Stories
Clean Earth Rovers cofounders named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list
November 30, 2023
A pair of graduates of the University of Cincinnati’s Venture Lab program were recognized as being among the top entrepreneurs in North America as part of the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Clean Earth Rovers cofounders Michael Arens and David Constantine were named to the 13th annual Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the energy category.
CNN Business: Best Buy’s simple strategy for beating shoplifting
November 30, 2023
The Best Buy approach to thwart shoplifting is to increase staffing. It's a move that UC criminologist John Eck says, in a CNN Business article, that makes perfect sense. It's also a different approach at a time when most retailers are reducing staff.
UC Learning Lab inspires College of Medicine to SIT
November 29, 2023
In a convergence of academic integration, the University of Cincinnati's renowned colleges — Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, Lindner College of Business, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and College of Medicine — recently joined forces at the 1819 Innovation Hub for an ideation session that exemplifies the institution's commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration.