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 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 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 starting in Fall Quarter 2025. Please note that this is a commitment to your cohort and to yourself, attendance at all sessions is expected. 

Applications for the 2025-2026 series will open in September 2025.

Women's Leadership Program 2024 Application TImeline: 

  • Application OPENS: September 2025
  • Application CLOSES: early October 2025
  • Application Decisions: mid October 2025
  • Program Begins: late October 2025

If you have any questions about the Women's Leadership Program please contact cli-help@lists.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.

Past Book Club Picks:

  • 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
    • Winter 2025: Off with Her Head by Eleanor Herman
    • Spring 2025: The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama

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