BOLD WLN Spotlight Series: The College of Saint Rose
The College of Saint Rose is the second school in our BOLD WLN spotlight series. Founded as an all-women college, women empowerment and development has been at the forefront of Saint Rose’s mission and vision. This is one of the many reasons why it was such a great fit for the BOLD Women’s Leadership Network.
BOLD first came to Saint Rose in 2018, and has been under the direction of Yolanda Caldwell, who also serves as the Chief Diversity Officer and Director of the Women’s Leadership Institute on campus. Both BOLD and the Women’s Leadership Institute are housed within the Michelle Cuozzo Borisenok building. Saint Rose’s BOLD program partakes in live-in-learning, providing the Scholars with BOLD specific housing, allowing for an extra layer of community. The juniors have their own designated housing option for their cohort, whereas the senior cohort lives within the Michelle Cuozzo Borisenok building. Environments like these really nurture the values and visions of the BOLD program, and women empowerment in general. This year, the program introduced 3 commuter Scholars to the junior cohort. They have key card access to the buildings so they can still be a part of the space and utilize its resources. Having different types of students within the cohorts, for example, both on and off campus students, adds texture and perspective, enhancing the experience for all.
At Saint Rose, BOLD Scholars are required to participate in 1 non-credit course each semester of their junior and senior years. These courses are meant to further enrich their curriculum for that semester, adding a focus on pre-professional preparation. These courses are housed in the School of Business
The first course is “Women in Leadership.” This introductory course is an overview of basic leadership styles and skills. The course is designed to expand students' understanding of leadership and women’s role in society as leaders. The students identify leadership opportunities, practice leadership skills, and learn how to demonstrate and communicate their leadership experience. Some goals for this course are for the Scholars to be able to identify women leaders in a variety of different industries as well as having increased self-awareness around values, beliefs, culture, and identity. It allows the women to see themselves in a multifaceted way, not just as professional beings. The course touches on gender constructs as well as the various ways we are socialized and how that plays a massive factor in the ways we navigate our worlds.
The second course Scholars partake in, during the spring semester of their junior year, is titled, “Women Leadership in Practice.” In this course, the Scholars enroll in the Collegiate Leadership Competition. This allows them to get practice in leadership and get to apply the practical skills they have been learning over the previous semester. This competition allows them to put the concepts and skills they have been developing by solving various situations posed at them in this competition; they must demonstrate their ability to actually put these skills into practice. When you think about a sports team, a major factor in their development and improvement is the experience they get in playing actual games – this is intended to serve the same purpose. The competition is within all of North America and will take place in Canada this spring.
The third course the Scholars take part in, during their senior fall semester, is the Capstone experience of the BOLD program. This course expands upon the introduction and application of skills needed to begin a career or participate in the fellowship program. The course will involve presenting a final project reflective of the cohort’s coursework and practical experience. At this point in their BOLD journey, they have built an understanding of their personal abilities and skills and can demonstrate effective time management skills and tools to manage work and life obligations.
At this point, the Scholars understand financial planning, can demonstrate the ability to identify tools for self-care and stress management and the ability to work with others. They also must present a post-graduation career plan which is important in terms of getting them accustomed to real world pricing and budgeting - a massive transition for students after graduation. In the spring semester of their senior years, rather than a formal and more traditional 4th course, the Scholars are further supported regarding job applications, resume help, etc. Additionally, at Saint Rose, Scholars are required to hold leadership positions at school, have bi-monthly cohort meetings, have both mentor and professional development sessions, as well as attend a national conference and annual BOLD retreat.
Lastly, the HGB team would also like to welcome Keisha Hamilton to the Saint Rose and BOLD family. She onboarded in the Fall of 2022 and is working with the team as the (insert title) to the BOLD program. We are so excited about the partnership between Yolanda and Keisha and look forward to their leadership empowering women at Saint Rose!