Elizabeth Kearney Women’s Leadership Program
Elizabeth Kearney Women’s Leadership Program is a gender-specific, leadership program. The program takes a cohort of approximately 25 women through 9 months of professional and personal leadership development, beginning in the fall and ending in late spring.
Each session includes leadership presentations/workshops facilitated by YWCA staff and community leaders and covers various leadership topics, such as strengths-based leadership, values and ethics, managing conflict, and imposter syndrome.
Participants identify their individual values, build skills, learn about community and civic engagement, foster meaningful connections, and leave prepared to address common leadership challenges facing women.
Thank you to the 2023-2024 EKWL Program Sponsors
25+
participants each year
15+
years of EKWL programming
300+
graduated alumni serving as leaders in Southern Minnesota
“Participating in YWCA Mankato’s Elizabeth Kearney Women’s Leadership program was the best thing that I ever did for myself – professionally and personally!”
- Kate Cox, Program Director at Project for Teens
“This program is incredible! The Elizabeth Kearney Women’s Leadership program builds self-confidence, skills, and community connections.
Thanks to the program, our faculty and staff learn what they are capable of and better understand their strengths.
We’ve benefited from their professional and personal development because they return more focused in their work and better leaders.”
- Dr. Annette Parker, President at South Central College
Why invest in women leaders?
Women in leadership—especially women of color—experience unique challenges, including gender and racial bias.
Although leadership is about more than a title, the under representation of women in business, government, and institutional leadership roles is a sign of a larger issue.
YWCA Mankato created this program to address the gender leadership gap and further its mission to ELIMINATE RACISM and EMPOWER WOMEN.
Who is Elizabeth Kearney?
Elizabeth M. Kearney was a long time board member of the YWCA Mankato and served a term as president. Kearney provided initial funding to establish the eponymous Elizabeth Kearney Women's Leadership Development Program of the YWCA. “The YWCA is always thinking about things that help women enjoy their life. There are so many young girls who have good jobs and a good education living around town but they rarely seem to rise up to be the mayor or the president of the bank or run a big business,” Kearney said. “I thought they should have a class where successful women speak and encourage other women to develop their skills an to grow in a way that fits their individual aspirations.” Elizabeth Kearney died peacefully in 2011 at age 96, leaving behind a strong legacy of women’s leadership in southern Minnesota.