Women’s Leadership Network Developing Next Leaders in Feminism

Lisa Will, recent graduate from Middlesex Community College, left her hometown of Limburg, Germany, in the spring of 2016 to earn her associate degree in Business Administration. Since enrolling, she joined the Women’s Leadership Network, one of the school’s student organizations. After being named president in September 2017, she set out to re-energize the organization.

“I came up with new concepts and ideas to recruit members,” she said. Getting more men involved in the club was a priority. “I want to get rid of the stigma that men cannot be feminists.”

Will set three goals for club members; building confidence, becoming the best version of themselves, and succeeding professionally and personally. To reach these goals the network hosted public-speaking workshops and brought in successful women to speak at meetings. The group also created a film titled “What Does Feminism Mean to You?,” and held a public screening in early May.

Will is excited Middlesex selected a strong female role model for this year’s Celebrity Forum, An Evening With Jamie Lee Curtis, on June 8 at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium.

“I’m excited to see Jamie Lee speak because of her contribution to the #metoo movement and her support of women who have faced sexual harassment and discrimination,” said Will. “To me, it’s all about women expressing their true selves without facing criticism, especially from other women.”

MCC’s Celebrity Forum is an annual event that presents well-known personalities for the educational and cultural enrichment of area residents. For more information on the 2018 Celebrity Forum, An Evening With Jamie Lee Curtis, visit: http://www.middlesex.mass.edu/...

In the fall, Will will attend the UMass Lowell, where she plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in marketing management. She feels the Women’s Leadership Network helped prepare her for this next step. “It taught me how to work as a team, listen to others, and let me practice being in a leadership role,” she said.

Will is already searching for ways to give back to the Middlesex community. She plans to start a women’s mentoring group at UML for MCC students. “I want to pass the torch to the next upcoming leaders in feminism.”

To view “What Does Feminism Mean to You?,” visit: http://bit.ly/2Ja2B9q

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