Eighteen Women Get the WIL Program off to a Strong Start

Eighteen women have joined the Women’s International Leadership (WIL) program as it enters its nineteenth year at I-House. Selected from a highly competitive pool of close to 50applicants, the new grantees continue to demonstrate that leadership has many definitions. The women participating in the program represent twelve different countries and are studying a variety of fields including conservation biology, music, international affairs, film, law, East Asian studies, journalism and international education.

The WIL year kicked off on September 15th at an orientation event, where the grantees, a mix of new and returning residents, had the opportunity to meet one another as a group for the first time. Leadership Fellow Pinar Ozbek helped the grantees become acquainted through some initial warm-up activities while several WIL alumnae shared their experiences in the program. 

Later in the month, the grantees along with the WIL Coordinator and Leadership Fellow, escaped the city and headed north to the Clearpool Education Center in scenic Carmel, New York for the first of three Weekend Seminars. The fall foliage provided a colorful backdrop for the indoor and outdoor weekend activities which facilitated teambuilding within the group.

	The 2009-2010 Women's International Leadership Program Grantees

The weekend’s training sessions focused on how culture can play a role in communication and how this understanding is critical to working together within a diverse group, and leadership styles, which were explored through a workshop on Kouzes and Posner’s “Five Exemplary Practices in Leadership” and the Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicator. Integrated into these sessions was a gender-based approach that allowed the grantees to consider how these tools and theories relate to women across cultures. 

A major goal of the weekend was for the grantees to learn more about each other and much of the weekend was devoted to recreational activities such as boating on the beautiful lakefront, hiking through the woods and casual conversation by the campfire.

	Dr. Patricia Taylor and Pinar Ozbek

On October 14th the grantees met several of the distinguished members of the WIL Advisory Council at a networking reception hosted by Council Chair Dr. Patricia Taylor and her husband, I. House International Trustee Ambassador Kenneth Taylor. Invited guests also included I. House Trustee Adam Quinton, Merrill Lynch Bank of America colleagues, former WIL Directors Barbara Johnson and Tara Zampiva-Dilkes and several members of the I. House staff. A delicious meal was prepared and complemented by stunning views overlooking the East River from the Taylor's apartment.

Coming soon on the WIL calendar is a Weekend Seminar to be held at I. House featuring a Leadership Panel comprised of WIL alumnae. This will be followed by a workshop on public speaking skills and further planning for the March 2010 WIL Week.

For more information about the WIL program please visit www.ihouse-nyc.org/WIL