Group of Pace University Dyson College of Arts and Sciences students in the Womens Leadership Initiative at the Secret and Seneca Women gathering at the New York Stock Exchange

Program Requirements and Benefits (2023-2024)

There are two required first-year courses:

  • COM 200 Public Speaking (Fall 2023)
  • WS 297F Geographies of Girlhood (Spring 2024)

Course Descriptions

  • The course is devoted to instruction in the mechanics of writing and presenting one's own material. This will include such things as the following: outlining, addressing varied audiences, styles, and appropriate techniques of delivery, as well as the use of technology to enhance one's presentation. It is a pragmatic, skills-oriented course designed to provide a context for practicing the construction and presentation of well-reasoned public messages.

    Note: This special section of COM 200, a foundation course usually completed in students’ second year, will equip students with critical leadership skills while focusing on women’s voices and highlighting speeches of famous women leaders throughout history.

  • This course explores the geographies of girlhood in transnational and global contexts with special consideration given to the socio-cultural and geopolitical construction of girlhood. Drawing from a range of disciplines, girlhood studies centers girls' voices and perspectives while simultaneously recognizing the ways in which girlhoods are shaped by ever-changing economic, political, cultural, familial, national and global systems of power. In this course, we will trace the production and consumption of 'the girl' in diverse geopolitical locations. This exercise in mapping the geographies of transnational girlhood allows us to reconsider what it is that we think we know about girls' lives in the Global South (and subsequently the Global North), generating new perspectives, understandings, and opportunities for relational solidarity and growth.

Beyond the skills gained through the WLI curriculum, accepted students will also have access to the following:

  • Academic Mentorship: Opportunities for intellectual growth, leadership training and experiences, and support from faculty invested in your success.
  • Leadership Opportunities: Access to events that will help hone important skills that will assist in building confidence and communicating effectively.
  • Community Service and Community Building: Opportunities to connect with other students with similar interests and passions and to help and serve others.
  • Wellness: Special events designed to support emotional well-being, reduce stress levels, and encourage an enjoyable college experience.