Stevens Initative Women's Leadership Program

Women’s Leadership through Virtual Exchange: Youth Sharing Digital Stories

  • This project engages 100 undergraduate and graduate students from Hassan II University Casablanca with 100 undergraduate students from Kennesaw State University in a unique cross-cultural virtual exchange experience focused on better understanding women’s leadership through research, analysis, and digital storytelling. The virtual classroom-based project collects biographical stories of successful women leaders in both countries and publishes selected stories online. The project provides participating students with a better understanding of the challenges and obstacles that exist towards increasing women’s rights and leadership roles in society. Students not only gain a learning experience around the topic of women’s leadership, but they also advance their abilities to work in international and intercultural contexts as they develop the intercultural competency needed in today’s global society. 

  • The WLVE project is supported by the Stevens Initiative, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, and is administered by the Aspen Institute. The Stevens Initiative is also supported by the Bezos Family Foundation and the governments of Morocco and the United Arab Emirates.

  • The Stevens Initiative is an international effort to build global competence and career readiness skills for young people in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa by growing and enhancing the field of virtual exchange.

    The Stevens Initiative honors Ambassador Chris Stevens, an American diplomat who was killed in an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012. Ambassador Stevens dedicated his career to building bridges of dialogue and understanding between cultures. Our Women’s Leadership Virtual Exchange program is a special opportunity to carry on Ambassador Stevens’s legacy.

  • For more information on the project, visit the Stevens Initative page or e-mail Dan Paracka at dparacka@kennesaw.edu.
  • Read more here. 

Project Semesters and Participating Classes

  • POLS 4454 taught by Dr. Maia Hallward, Professor of Middle East Politics

    Student essays:

    • Student
      Women's Leader
      Story Link
    • Timothy Callaway
      Alicia Chambers
    • Caitlin Farr
      Princess Moon
    • Matt Hossner
      Jennifer Perri
    • Sofia Pinedo Fernandez
      Paulina Guzman
    • Isabelle Sambo
      Carla McMillian Wong
    • Grace Stafford
      Rose Diggs
    • Michael Strollo
      Taylor Scott
    • Sarah Swetlik
      Tami Smith
    • Rachel Westmoreland
      Mary Francis Bowley

     

  • Hassan II University Casablanca student stories

    Photo stories

    • Student
      Women's Leader
      Story Link
    • Fatimazahraa Belkehal 
      Asmaa Boujibar 
    • Imane Boumehdi 
      Souad Brahma 
    • Ikram Elaakal 
      Leila Ghandi 
    • Zineb Halifi 
      Fatna El Bouih 
    • Nahla Kaoutar
      Siham Garoid 
    • Chaimae Rafiki
      Khadija Tichout 

    Video stories

    • Student
      Women's Leader
      Story Link
    • Youssef Metekhkhem
      Leila Meziane
    • Kawtar Snah
      Latifa Labsir
    • Omar Zerwal
      Aawatif Hayar

     

  • Video stories

    • Student
      Women's Leader
      Story Link
    • Hanane Agoujjim 
      Hafsa Lamrani
    • Soufiane Afghani 
      Siham Elmejiad 
    • Ikrame Essalih 
      Saida Azizi 
    • Rahae Mhirit 
      Samira Ammor 
    • Maryam Ababou 
      Zineb Noui 
    • Youness Mizmani 
      Fadila Anwar 

     

  • GWST 3090 taught by Dr. Nathalia Jaramillo, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies

    Student Essays

    • Student
      Women's Leader
      Story Link
    • Della Sanford
      Elinor Sanford
    • Ciana Bruce
      Jacquelyn Ponder
    • Maddie Hughes
      Jennifer Laughridge
    • Stephanie Breedlove
      Missionary Gussie Breedlove
    • Jessica Strickland
      Debbie Booher



  • GWST 3100 taught by Dr. Laura Davis, Associate Professor of English

    Student Essays

    • Student 
      Women's Leader
      Story Link 
    • Kaylee Salter
      Stephanie Bryan
    • Dionna Russell
      Meghan Geis
    • Vaso Poulokefalos
      Caroline Stephens 
    • Cassidy Valbrun
      Aparna Bhattacharyya
    • Jayde Scoggins
      Melanie Page

  • IS 4490 taught by Dr. Pamila Dembla, Associate Professor of Information Systems

    • KSU Student Author 
      Women Leader  
      Story Link
    • Chessa Birrell 
      Ambria Clark 
    • Carlos Alfaro-Castro 
      Federica Cabrera 
    • Yesenia Chavarria 
      Dedria McClure 
    • Cameron Hurdle 
      Sarah Gaines 
    • KSU Student Author 
      Women Leader 
      Story Link
    • Erin Miller
      Amani Johnson
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