Women’s Leadership Series

Women’s Leadership Series began with a series of workshops and trainings, but have also taken the form of a Book Club and celebration of International Women’s Day. The goal of these programs is to offer a space for discussion and exploration of the unique issues that arise when women take the lead. Programming is not limited to participants of a particular gender identity.

Women's Leadership Program

The Women's Leadership Program is a 6-week series in which participants will learn about, reflect on and develop self-advocacy and leadership skills. During this program, participants will explore what it means to be a woman in leadership and how their unique experiences shape their leadership framework. Participants will have the opportunity to build relationships within a small cohort of women and connect with women leaders across different fields.

After the 6 weeks have concluded, you will continue to have the opportunity to collaborate with this cohort of women throughout your remaining years in the college through a series of alumni events and networking sessions. We intend for this program to not only help you become a stronger leader but also make lasting friendships with a group of women that are truly empowered to make a difference in the world at large.

We will meet for 6 weekly sessions, Tuesdays from 6:00pm-7:30pm, starting October 15, 2024. Please note that this is a commitment to your cohort and to yourself, attendance at all sessions is expected. 

Applications for the 2024-2025 Women's Leadership Program are now open: https://forms.gle/H9nnVRNMKc6ycLEy6

Women's Leadership Program 2024 Application TImeline: 

  • Application OPENS: August 26, 2024
  • Application CLOSES: October 6, 2024 at 11:59pm.
  • Application Decisions: October 11, 2024
  • Program Begins: October 15, 2024

If you have any questions about the Women's Leadership Program please contact Heather Duval at hduval@uchicago.edu. 

Women's Leadership Book Club

Join us for our quarterly Women’s Leadership Book Club! Each quarter, we read and discuss a book that addresses issues pertaining to women’s leadership. The program is open to ALL members of the UChicago community, regardless of gender identity.

The Fall quarter selection is The Myth of Making It by Samhita Mukhopadhyay. We will meet to discuss the book on October 24, 2024, 2024 at 12:00 pm (lunch included) in the South Lounge located in Reynolds Club on the 2nd floor.

Set up a time for you to stop by CLI and get a copy of the book! 

Past Book Club Picks:

  • 2017-2018
    • Fall 2017: Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
    • Winter 2018: Innovating Women: The Changing Face of Technology by Vivek Wadhwa and Farai Chideya
    • Spring 2018: We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
  • 2018-2019
    • Fall 2018: Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less by Tiffany Dufu
    • Winter 2019: Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
    • Spring 2019: Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Start-Up by John Carreyrou
  • 2019-2020
    • Fall 2019: Lead from the Outside: How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change by Stacey Abrams
    • Spring 2020: Radical Candor: Be a Kickass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott
    • Summer 2020: I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
  • 2020-2021
    • Fall 2020: More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) by Elaine Welteroth
    • Winter 2021: One Life by Megan Rapinoe
    • Spring 2021: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
    • Summer 2021: Circe by Madeline Miller
  • 2021-2022
    • Fall 2021: Hood Feminism: Notes from the Women That a Movement Forgot by Mikki Kendall
    • Winter 2022: Professional Troublemaker: The Fear-Fighter Manual by Luvvie Ajayi Jones
    • Spring 2022: Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab
  • 2022-2023
    • Fall 2022: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
    • Winter 2023: Off With Her Head: Three Thousand Years of Demonizing Women in Power by Eleanor Herman
    • Spring 2023: The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
    • Summer 2023: All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews
  • 2023-2024
    • Fall 2023: Journal of a Black Queer Nurse by Britney Daniels 
    • Winter 2024: The Likeability Trap by Alicia Menendez
    • Spring 2024: Miss Major Speaks:Conversations with a Black Trans Revolutionary by Miss Major Griffin-Gracy and Toshio Meronek
    • Summer 2024: Women! In! Peril! by Jessie Ren Marshall 
  • 2024-2025
    • Fall 2024: The Myth of Making It by Samhita Mukhopadhyay

UChicagoSocial: Center for Leadership and Involvement