“Regardless of whatever my future holds, my communication studies degree will always be relevant.”
Develop your unique leadership potential with the Saint Mary’s College Intercultural Leadership Program (ILP).
Grounded in the CWIL Women in Leadership Model (Bazata et al, 2011), the ILP is a two- to three-year curricular and co-curricular certification program that prepares you to make meaningful change in real-world contexts. The program emphasizes the importance of intercultural competence with an emphasis on diversity, inclusion, equity, and justice.
Make Your Difference in the World
- Recognize the leader within
- Identify your leadership strengths
- Articulate your ethical/spiritual center
- Discern your personal core values
- Engage and value diversity
- Dialogue on power and privilege
- Create inclusive and equitable communities
For more information, email us at cwil@saintmarys.edu or call (574) 284-4051.
Gain Skills to Lead
- Learn more about inclusive leadership methods during our monthly reading groups facilitated by Saint Mary’s faculty and staff
- Reflect on your strengths and challenges with support from your cohort and Intercultural Leadership Program staff, allowing you to discover your personal leadership style
- Acquire real-world skills at our annual leadership retreats, trips, and training sessions
- Apply your talents to creating meaningful change by completing 50 hours of community-based learning and volunteering
- Connect with local woman leaders through our mentorship program, and give back by providing peer-mentoring to other Saint Mary’s students
- Gain valuable cultural competency by identifying nine credit-hours of academic coursework that will inform your inclusive leadership style, and by studying abroad
- Organize and implement a bi-annual undergraduate leadership symposium
- Lead an inclusive leadership project and design a digital portfolio to showcase your leadership accomplishments
- Expand your network through our cohort system and mentorship program, and create lasting relationships with other Intercultural Leadership Program alumnae
Women in Leadership Model
The Women in Leadership model is foundational to CWIL and forms the basis of our leadership programs. This model, based on extensive qualitative research conducted by CWIL faculty and staff, argues that "the problems of the 21st century require leadership that purposefully seeks to be informed by and situated within the experience and lens of gender and culture." Central to the model is the belief that transformative leadership requires prioritizing inclusivity and intercultural engagement.
Grounded in critical theory, feminist theory, race and ethnic studies, and empowerment theory, the Women in Leadership model is synergistic and non-hierarchical. Core tenants are a belief that leadership is inherent in every woman; a commitment to foreground and amplify the voices of women of color and women from underrepresented groups; an emphasis on dialogue on power and privilege; an understanding that effective leadership happens within communities and through relationships; and a priority on creating equitable, inclusive, and just communities. To learn more, click here.