Women in Educational Leadership Symposium

WIELS is a partnership between faculty members in the Leadership and Educational Studies at Appalachian State University and practicing educators. Our mandate is the development of an 'armoring process' that will equip women with pragmatic knowledge, skills, and dispositions that prepare them for success as educational leaders.

We believe all women, regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, creed, cultural uniqueness, religion, or politics, deserve a community of support to foster their career advancement. WIELS is committed to developing individual and collective efficacies of women to ensure they are better equipped, confident, and ready to assume leadership positions.

Although gender and wage gaps are somewhat narrowing, women are still disproportionately underrepresented in senior leadership positions in education, as indicated by national and state trends. It is against such a backdrop that gives us the impetus to address these issues at WIELS. The overarching goal of this partnership is to narrow gender and wage gaps in various forms of leadership and governance. WIELS will serve as a catalyst, convener, and developer to support educational career pathways for women.

To accomplish our mission, WIELS will be a clearinghouse for information on hot-button issues facing women in educational leadership. WIELS will also sponsor an annual symposium held at Appalachian State University to provide networks of mentors, colleagues, and role models to assist women in achieving their career goals.