Daily News

Women’s Fund, Bay Path Partner to Promote Leadership, Learning

LONGMEADOW — The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts and Bay Path University announced a groundbreaking partnership aimed at driving women’s leadership and educational access by providing college credits as part of the Women’s Fund Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact (LIPPI) program.

Through this partnership, which aims to educate women for leadership roles, the LIPPI program will give participants access to Bay Path’s online classroom tools, including access to virtual sessions with instructors and with their cohort. LIPPI participants will also be able to opt in to receive three undergraduate or graduate credits from Bay Path or, upon approval, credits that can be transferable to a college or university of their choice. To date, more than 250 women have graduated from the LIPPI program.

“We think this is a natural partnership for our organizations because we both invest in creating strong communities through leadership development,” said Elizabeth Barajas-Román, CEO of the Women’s Fund. “In addition to running for office, LIPPI graduates have led, or are leading, some of the most exciting gender-equity campaigns in the state, including pay equity, expanding workplace accommodations for pregnant employees, and paid family leave. Together with Bay Path University, LIPPI will generate leaders of tomorrow who will create strong communities and help the region thrive.”

Bay Path President Carol Leary added that “the Women’s Fund and Bay Path University share a common mission of supporting and empowering women. Since their founding, women’s colleges have been a driving force in educating women to hold key leadership positions in business, politics, and social-service agencies, as well as encouraging pioneers in the sciences and medicine, and fostering women in the arts. We are honored to work with the Women’s Fund to keep that legacy of women leaders alive and flourishing.”

The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts fuels progress toward gender equity by funding the most promising solutions, collaborating with results-oriented partners, and elevating the collective power of local women to take charge and to lead with purpose. Its signature, non-partisan program, LIPPI, is designed to provide women with the tools, mentors, and confidence they need to become powerful and effective civic leaders and elected officials.

Bay Path University’s mission is to provide an education that empowers undergraduate women and graduate women and men to become leaders in their careers and communities with an innovative approach to learning that prepares students to flourish in a constantly changing world.