Who We Are
Mission Statement: Established to empower women, devoted to promoting and celebrating female leadership at Yale and beyond, committed to creating an inclusive space where all are welcome, and dedicated to placing gender equity at the forefront of campus culture
Who We Are
The Yale Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) was founded in 2006 by five undergraduates who felt the University required an official organization that would empower and celebrate womxn and offer opportunities for leadership and development.
The WLI offers opportunities to learn from, speak with, and network with womxn leaders in a wide array of fields, work with a community of passionate and supportive womxn, launch self-driven initiatives that empower womxn in many ways, and connect members with a wide variety of professional growth opportunities.
What We Do
WLI’s capstone events and projects include:
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WOMEN'S WEEK, which features opportunities for students to connect with womxn leaders through panels, keynote speeches, and networking sessions. The Conference attracts more than 400 students, speakers, and alumni nationally and internationally, and amazing speakers such as Arianna Huffington Founder of Huffington Post), Mary Robinson (former President of Ireland), Chief Justice Margaret Marshall, and Maureen Chiquet (CEO of Chanel).
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MENTORSHIP INITIATIVE WITH YALEWOMEN, which celebrates womxn leadership on campus by gathering and honoring the achievements and character of nearly 200+ womxn who have demonstrated passion, courage, and leadership in various ways on and off campus.
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WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT FELLOWSHIP that range from coffee chats to casing workshops to mindfulness sessions to Q&A opportunities with leaders in public service, academia, and more.
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WOMEN OF ACHIEVEMENT FORMAL, which planned to feature performances from womxn groups, a timeline showcasing 50 milestones for womxn on campus, recreation of historic photos, and alumnae speakers from the first class of women in honor of 50 years of coeducation.
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PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY BUILDING EVENTS, which features the first-hand stories of Yale alumni of all backgrounds and identities with regards to their experiences at Yale. The book showcases perspectives from the first class of women, along with other historic events such as the Vietnam War protests, the Women’s Crew Title IX protest, and their personal struggles on campus and beyond.