This past weekend, I had the honor of being chosen to attend the Women’s Leadership Institute at Florida State University. A two-day event, the WLI consisted of workshops, panels, and various FSU-themed activities, all of which related to leadership. I had participated in other leadership seminars in the past, but I can honestly say the Women’s Leadership Institute was my all time favorite. Not only did I learn a multitude of information about how to be a successful female leader, I also learned some amazing life advice that I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else.
The first event of the Women’s Leadership Institute took place at President Barron’s house (I kid you not it looks JUST like something off of Pinterest). We were invited over for drinks and hors d’oeuvres before sitting down for a beautiful three-course dinner (which was delicious, BTW). After mingling with my fellow WLI attendees over a glass of some fabulous sangria, we were directed to go downstairs where dinner would be held. President Barron greeted the group with an inspiring speech about his time at Florida State and how excited he was about hosting the WLI at his home; it was truly an amazing sight to see President Barron speak and show his passion for Florida State. At dinner, we were seated at designated tables with our other group members. Each group was assigned a facilitator, or leader, that would guide us through the entire seminar. I am honored that I got to meet my facilitator, Jazmin – her fun personality and kindness made my experience at the WLI even better.
The next day consisted of many activities that kept us busy all day long. We were greeted with breakfast, followed by a few activities that allowed each WLI attendee to meet other attendees. Later in the day, we were able to actively participate in a panel discussion that included successful women who are leaders in their fields, and who are also FSU alumni. We were able to ask them any and every question that came to mind, from how to handle a family while being successful at work to how to deal with sexism in the work place. Being able to get a true glimpse into the lives of women who have impacted their communities and career fields in such a positive way was an awesome experience – and my favorite part of the WLI.
So if any of you FSU Collegiettes are interested in joining the Women’s Leadership Institute, I highly recommend that you apply next year. The WLI was a remarkable experience that I will never forget, and one that I will be forever grateful for being chosen to attend. I gained a lot of insight into how to become a successful female leader – at work and at home. I am already counting down the days until the next WLI seminar!
For more information on the Women’s Leadership Institute, stop by the Center for Leadership and Social Change (in the Dunlap building) or visit their website here.