Survey: most believe U.S. will have woman president in 20 years or less

Black Issues in Higher Education, July 1, 2004

Sixty-one percent of people believe there will be a U.S. woman president in 20 years or less, according to a recent survey commissioned by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and The Allstate Foundation. Of that group, 37 percent believe it will occur in 10 to 20 years. A little less than one quarter (24 percent) are more optimistic, stating that a woman will occupy the nation's top post in 10 years or less.

The national public opinion survey was released last month during AAUW's National Conference for College Women Student Leaders.

"With women continuing to advance into leadership positions throughout the public and private sectors, it is encouraging to see that we are moving closer to a time when there will no longer be a question of 'if' a woman will be elected president but 'when'," said Nancy Rustad, president of AAUW. "It is especially important for the United States, one of the world's leading democracies, because the U.S. has never elected or nominated a woman to be president while, ironically, other countries have elected women prime ministers and presidents."

"The survey results reinforce the need for leadership development of young women," said Patty VanLammeren, Allstate field vice president, capital region.

Other survey results revealed:

* While many Americans believe a woman will be president in 20 years or less, just over half (51 percent) believe a man from a minority group will be elected U.S. President before a woman (31 percent).

* Nearly nine in 10 Americans (87 percent) believe that young women today have more leadership opportunities than a decade ago.

* Many believe that community service trains young women to be strong leaders, with 39 percent saying that participating in community service trains them very well and 44 percent saying somewhat well. Just 11 percent say community service provides leadership training not too well or not well at all.

* Women placed more value on community service as a leadership building tactic with 45 percent saying participation served young women very well, compared to 33 percent of men.

The Roper survey was conducted from May 21-23, 2004, among a sample of 1,012 Americans 18 years of age and over. Interviews were conducted by telephone from three Roper facilities: New York; Alamogordo, N.M.; and Rexburg, Idaho. The margin of error for the entire sample is /- 3 percent age points.

Nearly 350 young women from around the country attended AAUW's National Conference for College Women Student Leaders last month in Washington. Up to 25 of the students received scholarships from The Allstate Foundation to participate in the conference. AAUW's Leadership and Training Institute is responsible for organizing the conference. Through Institute programs, women and girls acquire the skills they need to succeed and assume leadership roles in their academic, professional and personal lives. Over the next year, these AAUW-Allstate Scholars will further hone their leadership skills through a variety of service projects and activities undertaken in partnership with AAUW branches and Allstate representatives who will serve as mentors to the students.