KU Institute for Leadership Studies announces 2023 civic leadership training program for Kansas women
LAWRENCE — Ready to Represent, a women’s leadership training series designed to empower Kansas women to participate more fully in civic life, will return for the third time in January 2023. The series is hosted by Ready to Run Kansas, a member of the national network of bipartisan candidate recruitment and training programs created by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, and is housed in the KU Institute for Leadership Studies. This year’s Ready to Represent kicks off Jan. 14.
Ready to Represent, which was first held in 2021, has trained more than 100 women from Kansas, Missouri and across the United States. The four sessions of the 2023 program will take place on Zoom.
“The goal of our program is to help women achieve the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to run for public office and to be more active in civic life in their communities,” said Emily Vietti, director of Ready to Run Kansas and program associate/lecturer in the Institute for Leadership Studies. “Women are often underrepresented in these spaces in Kansas and around the country. When we have more women and more diverse voices in the spaces where decisions are made, we see more collaboration and better outcomes for more people. Everybody wins.”
Ready to Represent trains women who are interested in running for political office, serving on civic boards and commissions, or interested in learning how to better advocate for the issues and communities they care about. The program also has sessions specifically for collegiate women in Kansas who are interested in civic leadership, engagement and mentorship opportunities. Participants also have the opportunity to receive further leadership training for no additional cost through the Kansas Leadership Center after they complete Ready to Represent.
Ready to Represent will take place over four Saturday mornings: Jan. 14, Feb. 4, March 4 and April 1, in three-hour online sessions. The sessions will cover topics such as media training, political fundraising, Kansas open meetings laws, the importance of diversity and inclusion in leadership, imposter syndrome and more. Each session also includes small-group mentorship circles to build networks among Kansas women from across the state.
The price for the program (four sessions) is $99, and need-based scholarships are available. Kansas college students can attend the full program for only $12. More information and registration for the program can be found online.