Santa Clara University — The Far Reaches of Women's Leadership: From Technology in the Himalayas to Artists in Zimbabwe

Business Wire, July 17, 2007

July 22-28 Global Women Converge in Silicon Valley for the Global Women's Leadership Network's "Women Leaders for the World" Program

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- High in the Himalayas of India, far from the American call centers of Bangalore, Chhaya Kunwar, an avid entrepreneur, is setting up computer training kiosks for women in surrounding mountain villages.

"Here at the roof of the world, we are not isolated from technology or the new global economy," she said. "My goal is to prepare Himalayan woman for the challenges of globalization and market competition--to get them out of poverty and into leadership positions."

On Sunday, July 22, Kunwar joins 22 other global women leaders to participate in the Women Leaders for the World (WLW) program sponsored by the Global Women's Leadership Network (GWLN) at Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business. GWLN cultivates powerful international leaders and establishes worldwide connections that will support their success, via tools including WLW, a residential leadership program for women leaders from diverse professions.

Other attendees include Rutendo Mudzamiri, who founded an artist institute that trains Zimbabwean artists to be competitive; Jin In, who manages the global division of Girl Scouts; Ritah Mukande, who advocates for girls' education in post-genocide Rwanda; Lucky Chhetri, who trains women trekking guides in Nepal; Ruth DeGolia, who links Guatemalan artisans with U.S. markets; and many more from China to Pakistan to Turkey to Peru.

"Look what happens when women step into their leadership roles with power, grace, and determination," said Linda Alepin, GWLN Founding Director. "Women represent a largely untapped pool of resources to address today's economic, social, political, technological, and environmental challenges. They bring new levels of creativity, talent, and innovation. We provide women access to the tools and training they need, and establish a strong network of support for them to be successful global citizens."

The public is invited to the GWLN's "Global Innovation Dialogue," held during the WLW program. Women from all over the world will be available to answer questions. Marian Stetson-Rodriguez, president of Charis Intercultural Training Corp. and founding faculty member of GWLN, will be speaking about building trust in global teams on July 25, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in the California Mission Room, Benson Memorial Center, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA. The cost is $35. SCU students, faculty, and nonprofit professionals may attend for $20. For scholarships or to reserve a table, e-mail gwln_reg@yahoo.com or call 650-529-9336.

To purchase tickets, go to http://www.scu.edu/business/gwln/registration/index.cfm.> About the Global Women's Leadership Network

The Global Women's Leadership Network (GWLN), sponsored by the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University, provides women access to tools and training so that they can become successful global citizens. In turn, those women are partnering with the GWLN in building an international network of women leaders who dare to transform the future of their organizations, communities, and the world. For more information, visit www.gwln.org.

About Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California's Silicon Valley, offers its 8,377 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, plus master's and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master's universities, California's oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.