Saint Mary’s Hosts State Department International Women’s Institute for 4th Year

June 12, 2015 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—Saint Mary’s College is proud to announce that it will hold its fourth Global Women Leaders Institute, a U.S. Department of State Study of the U.S. Institute (SUSI). This summer’s SUSI welcomes 20 undergraduate women from Egypt, Tunisia, Iraq, and Jordan, plus six Saint Mary’s students.

The Study of the U.S. Institute is part of a broader State Department initiative to promote a better understanding of the U.S. abroad and help develop future world leaders. The program allows undergraduate women from around the world to improve their leadership skills while learning about the United States.

The institute will begin on Saturday, June 27 in Washington, D.C. The SUSI participants will arrive on campus on the evening of Thursday, July 2. The Fourth of July weekend will include a South Bend Cubs game, fireworks, and canoeing on the St. Joseph River. The institute will end on campus on Friday, July 31 with a closing ceremony and reception that evening.

One of the first stops in Washington will be a State Department SUSI conference on Wednesday, July 1, titled: “Women’s Leadership: Women Embracing Leadership and Service.” At the conference, 2014 SUSI participant and Saint Mary’s student Eleanor Jones ’16 will speak about taking the SUSI experience to the next level. She will share the story of four Jordanian women who are executing a business idea sparked at last year’s SUSI at Saint Mary’s. “SheCab” will feature cabs driven by women for women in Amman, Jordan where females are often sexually harassed on public transportation. Jones traveled to Jordan over spring break to support the women with their project. Jones and others at Saint Mary’s have helped the Jordanian entrepreneurs with fundraising. They even traveled to Jordan in March when the women pitched the idea to the U.S. Embassy.

The Saint Mary’s institute, organized by the Center for Women’s Intercultural Leadership (CWIL), includes intensive academic study of U.S. women’s history, global women’s movements, leadership, and intercultural skills. There will also be service opportunities for the participants at one of seven local agencies partnering with Saint Mary’s (St. Margaret’s House, the YWCA, Center for the Homeless, El Campito, Hannah’s House, Casa de Amistad, and the Boys and Girls Club of St. Joseph County).

Participants will visit major cities in the Midwest during the institute, including Detroit, Dearborn, Indianapolis, and Chicago, where they will meet local women leaders and learn more about US history and culture. SUSI participants will enjoy hospitality in homes of local Michiana families where they will experience a typical American family weekend. CWIL staff, four student program coordinators, and Saint Mary’s faculty and guest lecturers will facilitate the SUSI.

The SUSI program is made possible through a grant from the U.S. Department of State under the Fulbright-Hays Act with the purpose of fostering “mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.”

About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. In the fall of 2015 Saint Mary’s College will begin to offer two graduate degrees: a Master of Science and a Doctorate. All programs that fall under these degrees are co-educational and include a Master of Science in Data Science, a Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College’s mission is to educate students, develop their talents, and prepare them to make a difference in the world. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 published by U.S. News & World Report.

About the Study of the U.S. Institutes: The Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) are sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. For more than 60 years, the State Department has funded and supported exchange programs that seek to promote mutual understanding and respect between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. SUSI participants are among the over 40,000 individuals in these exchange programs each year. For more information, visit http://eca.state.gov.  

Contacts for News Media: Gwen O’Brien, director of media relations, Saint Mary’s College, gobrien@saintmarys.edu (574) 284-4579 or for further information about the SUSI Program or the U.S. Department of State, please contact ECA Press, telephone 202-632-6452 or e-mail ECA-Press@state.gov