May 5, 2009

Dear Emory University HERS Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying to the HERS-New England program through the President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW). The PCSW will select one woman to receive funding to attend the 2009-2010 Management Institute for Women in Higher Education Administration at Wellesley College. Please note the application deadline is Friday June 19, 2009.

The HERS-New England program is one of the most distinguished leadership development programs in the country and prepares women to move into the ranks of senior leadership through focused study in Planning & Fiscal Management, Managing in Organizations, and Professional Development. The series of four intensive weekend programs is held on the Wellesley College campus on the following dates: October 8-10, 2009; November 19-21, 2009; February 4-6, 2010; and March 11-13, 2010.

The HERS participant profile consists of women who are striving for a career in higher education as administrators, deans, tenured faculty, and other top academic leadership positions. Most women are extremely accomplished and hail from many diverse academic and administrative areas. The Management Institute course includes seminars on higher education management, administration, finance, and legal issues. In addition, the series emphasizes professional development, leadership skills, and career strategies for women professionals in higher education. Women who are interested in gaining leadership skills, networking with other women from a variety of academic settings, and furthering their understanding of the management, legal, and financial aspects of higher education are prime candidates for the HERS conference. The program will help women develop a career path that may lead to a career in the highest levels of academic administration.

In order to be considered for PCSW funding, applicants must complete the following five steps:

1. Download and complete the HERS application from the PCSW website. Please note that the application requires the submission of a current resume/CV, as well as a self-descriptive letter. In the letter, please state if you have attended any previous leadership programs and, if so, which one(s). Applications without these supplementary pieces will be deemed incomplete and not considered for review.
   
   
2. Submit one of the following to accompany your application materials: (1) a nomination letter from your supervisor, or (2) a letter of self-nomination, along with a letter of support from your supervisor. Whenever possible, the nomination/support letters should indicate opportunities for promotion or advancement of the applicant.
   
   

   Please note: While the Office of Community and Diversity and the President's Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) will cover some of the costs associated with the program, modest support from the applicant's home department or unit (of no more than $1500) may be necessary.

3. Draft a statement answering one of the following two questions in no more than 700 words:
      a. What do you feel is the principal issue women face at Emory?
      b. What is the foremost challenge you have faced in your career as a woman at Emory?
   
   
4. Affirm your ability to attend all sessions of the HERS-New England program for 2009-2010 term.
   
   
5. If selected, affirm your ability to serve on the PCSW Women in Leadership (WIL) Committee during the 2009-2010 academic year and to attend all meetings. Meetings occur once per month, with some work/assignments in between. For a description of the Women in Leadership Committee, please go to www.pcsw.emory.edu/leadership.
   

Direct questions to me afranck@emory.edu. Please note: all application materials must be received by Friday, June 19, 2009 to:

Alicia Franck
Chair, Women in Leadership Committee
Associate Vice Provost, Emory University

Thank you for your interest in the HERS program.