Future Women Leaders Program
Harvard Summer School
Since the summer of 2006, the Women's Leadership Board of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government has proudly sponsored the Future Women Leaders Program at the Harvard University Summer School. These fellowships allow talented undergraduate women to attend the Harvard University Summer School for a two-month intensive program over the summer. The primary purpose of these fellowships is to recognize and empower young women who have the capacity to be leaders in their home countries. They enable the selected students to expand their academic experience and to benefit from exchange and exposure to people from different countries and cultures. They also enhance the young women's leadership skills through special seminars in communications, strategic thinking, project management and networking etc, provided by the Women and Public Policy Program and by distinguished women leaders who serve on the Women's Leadership Board.
Description of the Program:
The Future Women Leaders enroll in the eight-week summer school program at Harvard College. This world-renowned training program is attended by students from over 50 countries and offers courses taught by Harvard faculty in all academic fields. Students will draw from over 74 offered course areas to customize their program and match their individual needs and interests. College credit is awarded for the classes. Fellows are expected to attend all required classes and to complete all required coursework in a timely and effective manner.
Supplementing the core summer school academic program, the young women are required to participate in a series of leadership skill building classes and activities designed by the Women's Leadership Board. These classes focus on communication, critical thinking, decision-making and project development and management. These courses occur on selected evenings and weekends during the eight-week session. Sensitivity to academic workload is taken into consideration when scheduling these co-curricular activities. As a part of this co-curricular program, each fellowship recipient is required to design, develop and execute an entrepreneurial project to advance women and girls at their University and/or in their home country when they return from Harvard. These projects are developed as part of the leadership curriculum with direction and counsel from instructors.
The Future Women Leaders Fellows live on campus in Harvard dormitories, eat in Harvard dining halls and have access to all campus facilities.