Frequently Asked Questions

What is Women in Leadership & Philanthropy?

Women in Leadership & Philanthropy is an initiative that aims to support women on their journey toward increased leadership, both in their professional lives and their volunteer lives. In keeping with the Jesuit mission of USF, we think of leadership through a lens of developing and using our passions and talents to contribute to a more just and humane world.
As we speak with more and more women, we realize that there is often a yearning to have a greater impact on the world around us, to carve out space in our busy lives to affect change and a desire for some support and community along the way. Women in Leadership & Philanthropy is designed to inspire, empower and advance women to become transformative leaders in service of their communities and throughout the world. We do this by providing educational, networking and leadership opportunities and catalyzing philanthropy through USF.

Women represent a strong presence at USF. Currently, 55 percent of alumni and 63 percent of students are female. When we spoke with alumnae, they expressed a deep love of USF and for our shared mission. They also expressed a desire to get more involved at the university. We want to create a welcoming space for women to connect with the university and with each other.
The growing presence of women and the desire to have an impact is a national trend. Although women do contribute to organizations and causes that they care about, we don’t tend to think of ourselves as “philanthropists.” National figures show that women in North America have the capacity to give $230 billion annually — that’s 3.5 times more than corporations and foundations combined. We believe that USF can play a role in helping women realize their vision for change and impact through action and philanthropy.

Women in Leadership & Philanthropy is primarily focused on providing engagement opportunities for alumnae and dedicated friends to the university. Faculty, staff, students and others are welcome to attend many of our events.

There are many ways to get involved with Women in Leadership & Philanthropy. We invite you to attend events or consider volunteering.

Yes. Alumnae in other regions can be involved in the Alumni Mentoring Program and serve as social media ambassadors. If you are interested in hosting an event in your region, please contact us at (415) 422-4055.