Discover the leader you have the potential to be! Join Sweet Briar College this summer in an immersive academic, cultural, and leadership development experience that will help you learn and grow, cultivating the empathy and awareness needed to improve yourself and the world.
Young women entering the 11th or 12th grade in the Gulf region and Middle East will thrive during our engaging LeadHERship Institute. Your participation will foster your capacity for leadership, your global cultural understanding, and your ability to innovate.
This two-week program ensures a blend of academic rigor and leadership development, tailored to students of varying backgrounds emphasizing diplomacy, confidence-building, and service.
A Sweet Briar education is relevant, providing students with the knowledge and skills they need to address the challenges and opportunities of our global 21st century—and it prepares students for leadership. As part of their academic program, all Sweet Briar students participate the interdisciplinary 10-course Women’s Leadership Core Curriculum. The Core has drawn national attention, and three times in the last six years, Sweet Briar has been named to U.S. News and World Report ’s list of Most Innovative Colleges. The LeadHERship Institute will include key lessons from faculty who teach in our Core.
Located in Amherst, Va., at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Sweet Briar has one of the most beautiful—and safe—college campuses in the United States. Our 2,847-acre campus, with its natural habitats, agricultural fields, and historic buildings, is a laboratory for learning and personal growth, as well as a place for recreation.
International students enjoy time together.
Students hang flags representing the student body in the Prothro Atrium.
International student Lara Jost ’25 presents “Predicting Grain Boundaries of Fe-Cr-C Alloys Using Density Functional Theory” to the campus community.
Sweet Briar College's 2,847-acre campus includes a 26,000-sq. ft. greenhouse, 20-hive apiary, and much more.
An equestrian at Sweet Briar's Howell Lykes Colton Stables.
Students use the hydroponic system in the greenhouse to grow lettuce.
The workout room in the Fitness and Athletic Center.
Students at a "float at the Boathouse" party on Lower Lake.
Program Overview
Details
The program cost is $3,999 per student, and includes tuition, room and board, use of campus facilities, and all planned activities during the program. The institute is open to young women entering the 11th or 12th grade in the Gulf region and Middle East.
Highlights
The LeaderHERship Institute’s two-week program combines academic rigor and engaging activities, emphasizing leadership development and confidence building. The program’s curriculum is drawn from courses in Sweet Briar’s innovative Women’s Leadership Core, and it is tailored to students of varying backgrounds.
Week one focuses on the foundations of personal development and cultural integration. Week two centers on innovation, communication, and the next steps in your personal journey of leadership development.
- Learn about different styles of personal development and how to assess your own leadership style
- Examine leadership case studies, including those of women leaders across cultures
- Develop your writing, public speaking, and presentation skills
- Hone your capacity to be an active and empathetic listener who can help resolve conflicts
- Grow your confidence and your team-building skills
- Showcase the creative problem-solving, collaborative, and leadership abilities you’ve developed at Sweet Briar with a capstone experience, where you and your fellow students will form teams to work on and present a proposal for a social impact project.
Throughout the two-week session, you’ll meet and network with women leaders in the fields of STEM, business, sustainability, education, and public service. You’ll also enjoy fun activities like games and trivia contests, movie nights, group dinners, a performance of Middle Eastern music, the opportunity to explore our campus and use our recreational facilities, and an equestrian event at Sweet Briar’s renowned riding center. Each day, the times to perform Salah will be seamlessly integrated into the schedule.
The program will also include field trips that will allow you to learn more about past and present leaders. You’ll visit historic sites in Virginia that were the homes of American presidents, such as Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and George Washington’s Mount Vernon. The LeaderHERship Institute will conclude with a trip to our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., to visit embassies and meet with government leaders.
Proposed Schedule
Week 1: Leadership Foundations & Cultural Integration
Day 1 – Welcome & Orientation
- Morning: Campus Welcome, Program Overview, Icebreaker Activities
- Afternoon: Leadership Styles Workshop (Understanding Different Leadership Frameworks)
- Evening: Welcome Dinner with Faculty & Special Guests
Day 2 – The Power of Storytelling in Leadership
- Morning: Leadership Self-Assessment & Personal Narrative Development
- Afternoon: Public Speaking & Presentation Skills Workshop
- Evening: Movie Night: Inspiring Women in History
Day 3 – Global Perspectives & Cross-Cultural Leadership
- Morning: Lecture: Women Leaders Across Cultures
- Afternoon: Cultural Exchange Session (Sharing Middle Eastern and American Traditions)
- Evening: Cultural Mixer Event
Day 4 – Communication & Conflict Resolution
- Morning: Active Listening & Empathy in Leadership Workshop
- Afternoon: Role-Playing Leadership Scenarios (Facilitated Simulations)
- Evening: Group Reflections & Leadership Journal
Day 5 – Team Building & Outdoor Leadership
- Morning: Outdoor Leadership Course (Team Challenges at Sweet Briar’s Rock-Climbing Wall)
- Afternoon: Leadership in Nature: Lessons from the Environment
- Evening: Bonfire Night & Leadership Lessons Discussion
Day 6 – Day of Rest & Exploration
- Morning: Brunch & Free Time
- Afternoon: Campus Recreation Activities (e.g., horseback riding, hiking)
- Evening: Optional Movie Screening or Quiet Reflection
Day 7 – Women in STEM, Business, & Public Service
- Morning: Panels with Female Leaders in STEM, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, and Public Policy
- Afternoon: Leadership Case Study (Students Analyze Real-World Problems)
- Evening: Networking Dinner with Business and Community Leaders
Week 2: Innovation, Advocacy & Next Steps
Day 8 – Social Impact & Community Engagement
- Morning: Workshop: Creating Social Impact Projects
- Afternoon: Group Project Brainstorm (Students Form Teams to Develop Proposals)
- Evening: Team Collaboration & Advising
Day 9 – The Art of Negotiation & Strategic Thinking
- Morning: Negotiation Skills Workshop (Taught by a Guest Expert)
- Afternoon: Problem-Solving Challenges (Competitive Group Exercises)
- Evening: Game Night & Leadership Trivia
Day 10 – Pitching Ideas & Leading with Confidence
- Morning: Public Speaking Practice & Refining Group Presentations
- Afternoon: Team Presentations of Leadership Proposals
- Evening: Celebratory Dinner & Talent Show
Day 11 – Closing Ceremony & Awards
- Morning: Final Leadership Reflection & Personalized Feedback
- Afternoon: Certificate Ceremony & Farewell Speeches
- Evening: Farewell Reception Cultural Night Celebration (Student Performances and Food from Home Countries)
Day 12 – Field Trip: Embassy Washington D.C. & Community Leadership
- Full-Day Excursion: Visit a U.S. Embassy or Meet with Local Leaders at Capitol Hill (focus on diplomacy and global cooperation)
- Evening: Dinner Out & Debrief Session
Day 13 – Field Trip: Virginia & Community Leadership
- Full-Day Excursion: Historical landmarks in Virginia
- Evening: Dinner Out & Debrief Session
Day 14 – Departure
- Morning: Farewell Breakfast & Check-Out of Hotel Depart from D.C.
Schedule subject to change
Institute Faculty
Dr. Jeff Key - Institute Director, Political Science
Dr. Jeff Key is an expert on the politics of South Asia who has conducted research in the region and has participated in briefings and policy sessions on South Asian affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Dr. Key teaches courses in U.S. and global affairs and politics, including one on the modern Middle East; he also teaches two courses in the Leadership Core: Women and Gender in the World and the Consequential Citizen. He has been at Sweet Briar for 25 years, has twice won the College’s teaching award, and previously served as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College.
Dr. Jon Bender - Engineering
Dr. Jon Bender serves as director of the Margaret Jones Wyllie ’45 Engineering Program at Sweet Briar. He returned to academia after two decades in industry as a director of research and development in the petroleum, chemical, and energy sectors. He teaches beginning engineering courses and the senior capstone course, as well as Design Thinking in the Women’s Leadership Core.
Dr. Paige Bridges - Business
Dr. Paige Bridges teaches marketing and communications courses, and researches the impact of emerging technologies on marketing innovation. Prior to entering academia, she worked for more than 20 years in marketing communications across the corporate, non-profit, and higher education sectors.
Dr. Kerry Greenstein - Student Life
Dr. Kerry Greenstein, dean of Student Life, is the director of Sweet Briar’s co-curricular ROSE (Relationships, Opportunities, Service, Empowerment) Leadership Program, which is designed to give students hands-on, practical leadership training on and off campus.
Dr. Lynn Laufenberg - History
Dr. Lynn Laufenberg, a medievalist, teaches courses in pre-modern history, U.S. and international legal systems, and social/gender history. In the Women’s Leadership Core, she teaches Sustainable Systems, and Contemporary Ethical Questions. Her current research examines enslavement in medieval Florence, Italy.
Mikel Mayo-Pitts - Outdoor Program
Mikel Mayo-Pitts leads the Outdoor Programs, guiding and training Sweet Briar students and community members to take full advantage of Sweet Briar’s and Virginia’s natural wonders, through adventures in hiking, back-packing, camping, canoeing, rock climbing, and more. He also coaches Sweet Briar’s indoor rock climbing team.
Dr. Lisa Powell - Agriculture/Sustainability
Dr. Lisa Powell is vice president of academic affairs, dean of the College, and chief sustainability officer, and founding director of Sweet Briar’s Center for Human and Environmental Sustainability. She teaches courses in environmental science and agriculture, as well as Sustainable Systems in the Women’s Leadership Core.
Dr. Anne Elise Thomas - Music
Dr. Anne Elise Thomas is an ethnomusicologist and performer with expertise in cultural anthropology, Arab music, and Appalachian music and dance. She teaches courses in music and music history, and the Women’s Leadership Core course Women and Gender in the World. She is currently researching Arab music ensembles in American colleges and universities.
Dr. Nathaniel Smith - Economics
Dr. Nathaniel Smith explores the relationships between government and the entrepreneur, trade policy, and market economy institutions. He teaches courses in macroeconomics, international trade, and economic history, and Dollars and Sense in the Women’s Leadership Core.
Dr. Allison Trochesset - Political Science
Dr. Allison Trochesset is an academic with experience in the public sector as a court research associate, a court-appointed special advocate, and a federal background investigator. She teaches courses in American government, politics and elections, and gender issues, as well as the Women’s Leadership Core courses Women and Gender in the World, and the Consequential Citizen.
Dr. Dwana Waugh - History
Dr. Dwana Waugh teaches courses in modern U.S. history, African American history, social movements, Southern history, historical memory, public history, and oral history. She also teaches the Consequential Citizen in the Women’s Leadership Core. Her research specializes in African American educational history.
Registration coming soon!