involvement opportunities on campus, offering settings where they can grow as an individual in the community. One of these opportunities is the Women in Leadership (WiL) club. For nearly a decade, it has been providing a space to encourage, equip and empower women on campus, in the workplace and in the world. The club meets for an hour every other Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Ramaker Fireside Room, though they occasionally gather in Ramaker Basement. With Julie Elliot as Faculty Advisor, the current team consists of Emily Espinoza, Ruthie Zimmerman, Alexia Hanson, Rae Outland, and Lilia Twaddle.
“We aim to be a safe space for any and every woman to learn and grow in community,” Zimmerman said. “We bring in speakers who teach us everything from the history of witches to women’s health to women in STEM, athletics, and politics.” Many of these speakers are NW’s own professors. The club hopes to have a professor or staff member from every department speak over the course of this school year.
“We want to provide a welcoming environment where people of different thoughts, opinions, and experiences can have a space to voice themselves and be heard,” Espinoza said “It is a time of fellowship and understanding which is something I think our campus needs more of.”
In addition to these bi-weekly meetings, events in recent years like “dead week” yoga, Hallmark movie watch parties and ladies’ skate night have helped foster friendships. Each month the club hosts “lock-in” nights, during which students can have an intentional time to work on assignments in a community.
As the name implies, WiL is mostly geared towards women, although they welcome men to be learners and listeners in meeting conversations. The club has played a large role in building up the NW community, enabling individuals to invest in each other and feel supported.
“I got involved with Women in Leadership about three weeks into my freshman year, and I was so attracted to the uplifting and compassionate community,” Hanson said, “I was struggling to adjust to college, and all the women I met at the first event were so kind and genuinely interested in uplifting me.”
The profound personal impact WiL has had on attendees makes its gatherings a highlight on the calendar through the demanding life of a college student.
“I love the friends I have made and how they encourage me to think deeper and to be a better person.” Zimmerman said, “I deeply appreciate a more casual setting to be able to get to know some of the coolest professors on campus. I love the way this club has encouraged, strengthened and connected me and I cannot wait for another year of intentional conversations with wise women.”
“One of the things I enjoy most about being in Women in Leadership is the community I have found there,” Outland said, “It is a group of people who want to listen, learn, and grow together all while supporting and cheering each other on through everything we do. They all truly make me feel loved and accepted in whatever state I am in.”
“Having a space like this has encouraged me to grow in my own thinking and has opened doors for me to consider ideas I had never considered before,” Hanson said.
For those interested in getting involved, they can be added to an email list that will notify them of future events. They can also follow the page @nwcleadership on Instagram. Attendees are not obligated to come to every meeting or event, but they are always welcome.
“Shoot us an email, talk to us in person or even send a carrier pigeon,” Espinoza said, “We send out an email and post whenever a meeting is happening. We would love to see you all there.”
Since day one, Women in Leadership has been seeking to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals, the NW student body and the world. This mission is sure to remain constant, long after the current leadership has passed the torch.
“I hope that 10 years down the road, Women in Leadership will be alive and thriving, catering to the needs of the students and continuing to be a safe, welcoming space for all,” Espinoza said.
