TWP awards grants for staff initiatives to help retain and advance women

TWP is committed to expanding opportunities for women’s growth, leadership, and empowerment at the university and created the Staff Leadership Associates Program to help further this mission. Staff Leadership Series and HERS alumnae were invited to apply for grants to support initiatives that align with TWP's mission.

Donna Hight, assistant dean, Student Life & Success, Mansfield campus, will use her grant to support a one-day, women’s leadership conference in Mansfield in March 2019. The conference will address leadership development of all women, particularly underrepresented high school and college women. Approximately 100-200 women or women-identifying high school and college students, faculty, staff, and community leaders, will be invited to build relationships and solidarity with other women, learn about stereotypes and implicit bias, and acquire strategies for empowerment, personal and professional development, and leadership development. 

The conference will help individuals to: 

• Identify barriers and possible solutions within a rural community for successful networking for women.
• Build relationships between and among community women leaders and students.
• Identify and learn solutions for positive or negative symptoms and behaviors of individuals and groups.   
• Identify solutions, both self-reflective and group-oriented, to positively build skills for social and professional success and equity.

Kim Doran, director of Instructional Support Services and chief of staff, Student Athlete Support Services Office, will use her grant to support an initiative in the Athletic Department called Women Empowering Women. The goal of the initiative is to create a community for women staff in athletics in which there is support for one another across the different units. This program will offer opportunities in mentoring, collaboration, leadership, professional development, and fellowship to encourage the growth and retention of women in the department. 

The initiative will include a monthly lunch and learn series on topics such as leadership, work-life integration, and trends in college athletics. In addition, a Women’s Leadership Forum and one-on-one meetings with senior women administrators in the athletic department will help women be more successful in their roles and create plans to advance. Fostering this environment may also help empower student athletes in their careers after they complete their degrees.