Have you heard about the Summer Leadership Institute right here at Mount Mary? I hadn’t until I read the small print on a flyer here on campus last year. The Summer leadership Institute is a 3 1/2 day program designed to give Wisconsin college students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills in workshops that included reflection, confidence, design thinking, improv, personal branding, mindfulness, health and wellness, personal visioning and more. As a nontraditional adult student, I was a bit unsure about participating in the program, but it turned out to be a life-changing (and FUN) experience that has lead to leadership opportunities and lifelong relationships.
My apprehension was rooted in staying on campus with a roommate for three days and participating in a heavily structured program. After the first few hours, I knew that my worries were silly and I was able to easily move passed them. The dorm rooms were decorated for us and were very inviting. We had a bit of time to get settled in before we came back together to begin the program. After reflecting on the experience, I believe that the minimal uncertainty in sharing a dorm room with a stranger actually served to help me step outside of my comfort zone and be more openly engaged in the program.
The program is designed with activities and workshops that help the participants to get to know themselves in terms of their leadership style. We enjoyed getting to spend time with many amazing women leaders in our community who shared their own leadership experiences and helped us to hone our own leadership skills. We participated in events that required us to work in teams as well as individually. It was really wonderful to have women from all over the state of Wisconsin, coming together to share their own unique perspectives, experiences and ideas as students. We were able to practice our team-building and presentation skills, as well as participate in a speed-networking event with local business leaders.
At times, I found the program challenging, but each skill or activity built on the next, and by the end of the program I wished we had a few more days. I am really proud of the work that I did through the Summer Leadership Institute and I really encourage every student to get involved. To learn more about the Summer Leadership Institute, or to apply, click here.
Erin Mihor
Women’s Leadership Institute Intern
Summer Leadership Institute alum
Mount Mary University Women's Leadership Institute 