Women as Empowered Learners and Leaders (WELL) Badge

The Women as Empowered Learners and Leaders (WELL) Micro-Credential is offered by FIU’s Women’s Center within the Division of Academic and Student Affairs. The purpose of the badge is to provide students who demonstrate the burgeoning aptitude and continued development towards empowerment and equity with recognition for career aspirations.

There are opportunities for you to include intersections by participating in programming outside of what the Women’s Center offers; however, you must participate in Women Who Lead Conference as both an attendee and volunteer (ambassador or other leadership role). If you’re interested in pursuing the badge, please contact The Women’s Center for more information to enroll.

Skills

To earn this badge, students demonstrate the following outcomes by reflecting on how they developed and/or utilized skills, policies, or knowledge while participating in various gender or identity specific co-curricular activities:

  • Cultivate Interpersonal and Essential Life Skills to Enable Effective Relationships with Others
  • Facilitate Experiences that Improves the Educational Relevance, Quality and Learning Environment for All Genders; Particularly for Women
  • Transform Gender Norms & Practices to Be Agents of Social Change or Create Awareness & Solutions Around Stereotypes and Inequality
  • Advocacy for Gender-Equitable Policies

Earning criteria

  • Attend and Volunteer/Lead at the Women Who Lead Conference

    Students will attend the conference one year and volunteer as an ambassador, speak on a panel (invitation only), serve on the planning committee (invitation only), or lead in another way a different year (typically sequentially). Women Who Lead is a conference designed to connect students with diverse women leaders in a variety of career fields and to enhance the leadership development of all FIU students.

    1. Involvement (Both attendance and volunteerism/leadership): Provide proof for the co-curricular involvement that you intend to write your Attend and Volunteer/Lead at the Women Who Lead Conference reflections. This could be a screen shot from PantherConnect, letter from an advisor, etc. Remember, the involvement must be one listed on a Women as Empowered Learners and Leaders Program Guide or approved by the appropriate Women's Center administrator. You will need to prove that you both attended and volunteered/led at the Women Who Lead Conference.
    2. Reflection
      1. Give a specific example of how Attending the Women Who Lead Conference (a component of the Attend and Volunteer/Lead at the Women Who Lead ConferenceCompetency) personally impacted you as well as developed your sense of self and enhanced your leadership development (400-word minimum). Please include an example and mention how the example demonstrates each of these:
        1. Personal and professional knowledge gained from both participation and leadership.
        2. Application of the knowledge to your major/career or other professional aspirations.
      2. Give a specific example of how Volunteering/Leading at the Women Who Lead Conference (a component of the Attend and Volunteer/Lead at the Women Who Lead Conference Competency) personally impacted you as well as developed your sense of self and enhanced your leadership development (500-word minimum). Please include an example and mention how the example demonstrates each of these:
      • Personal and professional knowledge gained from both participation and leadership.
      • Application of the knowledge to your major/career or other professional aspirations.
      • How the pre-conference, conference training, and/or conference mentorship was instrumental to your Women Who Lead experience and afterwards
  • Cultivate Interpersonal and Essential Life Skills to Enable Effective Relationships with Others

    Students will be able to develop a holistic life skills development approach that addresses the physical, emotional, intellectual, physical and social stages along the development continuum (e.g., taking risks, managing failure, financial literacy, sexual and reproductive health, negotiation, communication skills, sense of choice, awareness of rights, self-awareness, vision, confidence, self-esteem, access to safe places, etc.); ensure inclusivity as well as support school, work, life transitions to ensure safe and positive continuous growth.

    1. Involvement: Provide proof for the co-curricular involvement that you intend to write your Cultivate Interpersonal and Essential Life Skills to Enable Effective Relationships with Others reflection. This could be a screen shot from PantherConnect, letter from an advisor, etc. Remember, the involvement must be one listed on a Women as Empowered Learners and Leaders Program Guide or approved by the appropriate Women's Center administrator.
    2. Reflection: Give a specific example of how this involvement used/demonstrated the Cultivate Interpersonal and Essential Life Skills to Enable Effective Relationships with Others Competency (500-word minimum). Please include an example and mention how the example demonstrates each of these:
      • Developing a holistic life skills development approach that addresses the physical, emotional, intellectual, physical and social stages along the development continuum (e.g., taking risks, managing failure, financial literacy, sexual and reproductive health, negotiation, communication skills, sense of choice, awareness of rights, self-awareness, vision, confidence, self-esteem, access to safe places, etc.)
      • Ensure inclusivity as well as support school, work, life transitions to ensure safe and positive continuous growth.
  • Facilitate Experiences/Produce Work that Improves the Educational Relevance, Quality and Learning Environment for All Genders; Particularly for Women

    Students will be able to integrate foundational skills (resilience, health, self-esteem, confidence, learning from failure, grit) and 21st century skills (collaboration, critical thinking, citizenship, leadership, etc.) into programming they run for others; build a bridge between non-formal and formal education; develop high-quality, locally relevant and linguistically appropriate learning opportunities or programming help other women highlight their aspirations; confidence to forge a new path; acquisition of multiple vocational skills coupled with an understanding of business skills, financial literacy and market analysis

    1. Involvement: Provide proof for the co-curricular involvement that you intend to write your Facilitate Experiences/Produce Work that Improves the Educational Relevance, Quality and Learning Environment for All Genders; Particularly for Women reflection. This could be a screen shot from PantherConnect, letter from an advisor, etc. Remember, the involvement must be one listed on a Women as Empowered Learners and Leaders Program Guide or approved by the appropriate Women's Center administrator.
    2. Activity/Program/Design: Provide an example of the program, activity, or opportunity you have designed/facilitated for others that Improve the Educational Relevance, Quality and Learning Environment for All Genders; Particularly for Women. The example should include the following:
      1. Project Title
      2. Description of Project
      3. Project Timeline/Goals
      4. Flyer/Advertising
      5. Assessment Data/Evaluation Results
      6. Sign in Sheet (when available)
    3. Pictures of the EventReflection: Give a specific example of how this involvement used/demonstrated the Facilitate Experiences that Improves the Educational Relevance, Quality and Learning Environment for All Genders; Particularly for Women Competency (400-word minimum). Please include an example or mention how the example demonstrates of each of these:
      • Integration of foundational skills (resilience, health, self-esteem, confidence, learning from failure, grit) and 21st century skills (collaboration, critical thinking, citizenship, leadership, etc.) into programming
      • Building a bridge between non-formal and formal education
      • Developing high-quality, locally relevant and linguistically appropriate learning opportunities or programming
  • Transform Gender Norms & Practices to Be Agents of Social Change or Create Awareness & Solutions Around Stereotypes and Inequality

    Students will be able to use leadership skills and awareness/access to safe places to ensure access to equal education, opportunities and life experiences

    1. Involvement: Provide proof for the co-curricular involvement that you intend to write your Transform Gender Norms & Practices to Be Agents of Social Change or Create Awareness & Solutions Around Stereotypes and Inequality reflection. This could be a screen shot from PantherConnect, letter from an advisor, etc. Remember, the involvement must be one listed on a Women as Empowered Learners and Leaders Program Guide or approved by the appropriate Women's Center administrator.
    2. Reflection: Give a specific example of how this involvement used/demonstrated the Transform Gender Norms & Practices to Be Agents of Social Change or Create Awareness & Solutions Around Stereotypes and Inequality Competency (400-word minimum). Please include an example or mention how the example demonstrates three of these:
      • Facilitation of parental, community or intergenerational dialogues around gender norms, gender relations and structural conditions for change
      • Promoting positive relations within the family and community including the potential engagement of men to support transformational change
      • Facilitation of mentorship or leadership opportunities
      • Addresses the intersection with health, STEM, and other sectors to create gender-responsive programs in collaboration with strategic partners
  • Advocacy for Gender Equitable Policies

    Students will be able to promote women's education and equity through religious, government, school, health, and community-based mechanisms

    1. Involvement: Provide proof for the co-curricular involvement that you intend to write your Advocacy for Gender Equitable Policies reflection. This could be a screen shot from PantherConnect, letter from an advisor, etc. Remember, the involvement must be one listed on a Women as Empowered Learners and Leaders Program Guide or approved by the appropriate Women's Center administrator.
    2. Reflection: Give a specific example of how this involvement used/demonstrated the Advocacy for Gender Equitable Policies Competency (400-word minimum). Please include an example or mention how the example demonstrates of each of these:
      • Advocacy for gender equitable policies and resource allocation in education, health, and social economic empowerment programs
      • Promotion of gender-responsive teaching training, professional development, and policies to improve quality of education
      • Increased awareness of critical 21st century skills to promote transformation of education, training, and facilitator/teacher quality
  • Create a reflective capstone that answers the following questions in either written form (minimum 1,000 words/2 pages) or by video (15-minute minimum presentation).

    After reflecting on your individual experiences, the capstone project asks that you prepare a holistic reflection of the connection that these experiences have contributed to your ability to empower women to lead and learn toward social change. Please respond to the following questions completely in accordance to the minimum given in the directions. We will be assessing your response on a rubric.

    1. How do your experiences empower women as leaders and learners in the community? Highlight the skills, knowledge, and abilities that you were able to gain and the ones who have been able to facilitate for others in the local, national, and global/international community.
    2. Outline an idea for a new program, policy, solution, enhancement, community engagement project, or research project that integrates what you learned and enhances initiatives/programs to empower women and create positive social change. Include the description of the initiative, initiative timeline and goals, how success would be measured & your impact to the community, and budget or resources needed.
    3. How would implementation of this project develop skills and competencies for students in the future? How does your project assist in consistently empowering women in communities?