On Friday, the Yale Women’s Leadership Initiative hosted the third annual Leading Ladies Gala. The event, which celebrated female leadership at Yale, was held in the Pierson dining hall. The Gala honored student nominated “Leading Ladies” who were singled out by their peers for being a source of leadership and inspiration on campus.
The event kicked off with a keynote address by Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, the current Under Secretary of Commerce at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the first American woman to walk in space.
Sullivan opened with her personal definition of leadership, calling it “the ability to move people with you to a common purpose.” She spoke about her own experiences as a leader, and gave advice on what a leader needs to be successful, including self awareness, strength of character and the ability to listen to feedback while not being distracted by petty criticism.
Sullivan’s words were echoed by the two student speakers, Isabel Cruz (DC 2017) and Irene Jiang (TC 2016).
Cruz focused in part on the importance of diverse perspectives in leadership. “What we can all unite around is the revolutionary power we hold in shaping tomorrow,” she told an audience of over 150 students. Cruz also made a point to advocate for self-love and self-care, what she called the two most important things in a leaders toolbox. She encouraged the audience to stop worrying about exceeding expectations, and start setting their own.
Jiang had more advice for the crowd, telling them to set aside fear of failure and “fake it till you make it.” “How you learn to be anything, including a leader, is just by trying in the first place,” she said, later adding that “the world needs women who believe in themselves.”
The event also included performances by the all female senior acapella group Whim ‘n Rhythm and WORD’s Sophie Dillon.