Alumnae of HERS Leadership Institute
October 21, 2022
Leaders from Oakland University and Wayne State University recently gathered at Meadow Brook Hall to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Higher Education Resource Services (HERS), an organization that supports woman-identified leaders with the goal of driving inclusive and equitable change in higher education.
HERS President Gloria Thomas speaks at the HERS 50th anniversary reception at Meadow Brook Hall |
The celebration featured remarks from HERS President Dr. Gloria Thomas, along with leaders from OU and Wayne State who participated in the HERS Leadership Institute, the organization’s signature leadership development program, founded to fill higher education leadership pipelines across the United States with dynamic women. Dr. Elaine Carey, OU’s College of Arts and Sciences Dean and a HERS Leadership Institute alum, emceed the event.
In her keynote speech, Dr. Thomas chronicled the development of HERS – from its humble beginnings in the wake of Title IX, the landmark legislation that outlawed sex discrimination in any school or education program that receives federal funding – to its emergence as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. She encouraged attendees to “have an equity lens” and to be “bold and authentic about where we stand, the values we hold and what we’re striving for.”
Dr. Thomas, whose distinguished career includes more than 20 years contributing to women’s leadership development, also reflected on her upbringing as the youngest in a family with eight children.
“No one in my family had even thought about college, let alone gone, and I had an opportunity to go to an Upward Bound program close to where I lived and it was that program that made the difference,” she said, adding that funding for such programs has declined in recent years.
In addition, alumnae of the HERS Leadership Institute described how their experiences in the program benefitted them personally and professionally.
Dr. Britt Rios-Ellis, OU Provost and Executive Vice President:
“The truth is that over the last half-century HERS has accomplished so much with respect to its goal to develop, diversify and facilitate the empowerment and success of women leaders in higher education. I am so proud to be a HERS alum because in every aspect of the work we do as educators, researchers, scholars and community engagement and advancement advocates, HERS has more than validated the benefits of leveraging the unique voices and perspectives that women offer.”
Dr. Jennifer Hart, Wayne State Associate Professor of History:
“One of the things that HERS does is it helps individuals define their path and understand their value in a much broader context. As a rural working class woman from the South who lucked into my path, I am personally driven by the idea that no individual should have to be lucky to benefit from the transformative power of education. That’s an equity-minded mission that HERS helps make possible and expands nationally.”
Dr. Meghan Harris, OU Associate Professor of Nursing:
“HERS really widened my perspective on higher education. I’ve always participated in different university committees and chaired different multi-disciplinary efforts, but this really gave me a chance to focus on higher education at a new level. I learned a great deal about university structure and processes, and I also received a lot of affirmation of my own knowledge and experience and my ability to work with others from different areas and walks of life.”
Dr. Christine Jackson, Wayne State Professor of Management and Chair of the Department of Management and Information Systems:
“I think the value of being in this type of program is that it continues to give back. The support that you get from your colleagues in the program is really tremendous and that support continues on past the program. It’s important that we invest in ourselves and build our confidence and lift each other up, and I think HERS really does that.”
Closing remarks were delivered by Wayne State Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Mark Kornbluh, and OU President Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz.
In addition to its Leadership Institute, HERS offers leadership development and training programs for various levels, from middle management to executive and senior-level roles to aspiring administrators. Learn more about HERS’ mission and programs at hersnetwork.org.