The second interdisciplinary conference explored the intersections of women's studies, international and multicultural education, entrepreneurship, and leadership development, and was hosted by the Center for Women's Intercultural Leadership, Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN USA
In
2010 the Center for Women's Intercultural Leadership (CWIL) marked 10
years of fostering the intercultural competence critical for the next
generation of women leaders across the Saint Mary’s campus, connecting
with communities at the local, state, national, and global levels. To
promote transformational intercultural engagement, CWIL builds
collaborative relationships and encourages partnering across
departments, disciplines, and other traditional dividing lines. The
Center bridges global and domestic diversity issues, mindful of the
distinctions between these but also of their commonalities. It
highlights the roles of women and studies the interconnections between
gender and culture. Rooted in a developmental approach, the Center
challenges and supports individuals and groups to take the steps toward
deeper intercultural experience, more sophisticated grappling with
issues of difference such as power and privilege, and greater
appreciation for the diversity and richness of human experience.
Conference Themes
This interactive conference celebrated ten years of accomplishments and welcomed fruitful new collaboration by bringing together theorists, scholars, professionals, educators, community activists, practitioners, and students who are interested in women's intercultural leadership. For three days participants imagined and innovated while networking, sharing best practices, and joining a national conversation about cutting-edge work. The conference focused on five particular themes and their intersections:
• Thinking in new ways about women’s leadership and promoting women as change agents
• Developing women’s entrepreneurship
• Articulating ethical and spiritual foundations
• Internationalizing and interculturalizing the curriculum and co-curriculum
• Building collaborative relationships between colleges and communities and across disciplines