Leadership Academy prepares high schoolers for college and beyond

"Mount Mary excels in developing confident women. The sooner we are able to reach them, the more successful we believe they will be in life."

Anne Kahl
Interim Director, Women's Leadership Institute

At Mount Mary's new Summer Leadership Academy, 50 high school students from across the United States will learn essential leadership and confidence building, explore career paths and learn from professional and Mount Mary student mentors this week.

Sessions will cover topics such as financial aid, vocation exploration, choosing the right college, networking, and other subjects designed to strengthen leadership and career skills in young women. Girls will discuss issues, engage in activities and unlock their creativity. They will stay overnight on campus and enjoy a taste of the college experience.

Participants were asked to explain their motivation for applying to the Summer Leadership Academy. They shared that they hope to learn about specific programs of study like nursing and fashion and network with other student leaders. They want to learn how to turn their fears of leadership into confidence, build a supportive sisterhood, and how financial aid can make college affordable. A few of the students have never had the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities due to family responsibilities. The Summer Leadership Academy experience will help strengthen their college applications.

The program is open to all high school students. Mount Mary wants to prepare all women for successful futures.

"Mount Mary excels in developing confident women. The sooner we are able to reach them, the more successful we believe they will be in life," said Anne Kahl, interim director of the Women's Leadership Institute. "We are so excited to offer this opportunity for high school students to learn and walk away more confident and more educated for their future careers."

This event is sponsored in part by Johnson Controls, WaterStone Bank, Palermo's Pizza, Omar & Abby Andrietsch, Jeanne Bitkers '65, Erickajoy Daniels, Beth Heikkila '79, Peggy Kelsey '86, and Lynn Sprangers.

For more information, please visit Summer Leadership Academy.