The celebrated program will become part of the School of Public Policy in summer 2024

UMass Women into Leadership (UWiL) celebrated its tenth anniversary at a two-day event on March 29 and 30, as program participants, alumni, and elected and appointed state officials came to UMass Amherst for a fireside chat, dinner, and intensive workshop to inspire careers in policy, politics, and public leadership.

UWiL is a professional development and leadership training program founded in 2014 by Executive Director Michelle Goncalves ‘06MPPA as a means of addressing the gender gap in politics and preparing students for public service careers. The program offers comprehensive support for undergraduates interested in public leadership, with an active alumni network offering an array of career-building opportunities including field trips, guest speakers, mock interviews, and one-on-one mentoring. UWiL is housed within the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS), but any UMass Amherst undergraduate with an interest in public leadership, policy, and government may apply to UWiL’s annual cohort.

“I had this vision for an alumni network that would help our students connect to the right people for the right jobs. I had a vision for a cohort of students who would feel supported, who would feel connected to this campus due to a common community-based experience,” remarked Goncalves at the anniversary dinner. Goncalves, who also serves as deputy chief of staff in the Office of the Chancellor, added that over the past 10 years, 230 students have participated in UWiL. 

Longtime UWiL board member Jan Feuerstadt ‘96, Partner at New York-based public strategy firm Mercury, said that UWiL convenes “a full alumni list available to help at any point. Bringing that to this campus has been life-changing for a lot of these women,” creating opportunities to begin and boost their careers. “It’s not that they wouldn’t have gotten there, but it made it easier for them. It provided this whole network of women to be able to lean on for mentoring, opening all of those doors.” Feuerstadt praised Goncalves’ leadership and the community of UWiL alumni and mentors, which offers ongoing support to UWiL participants after graduation from UMass Amherst. “We're not just there for them for their semester of UWiL. If they are using that network, we are giving them the tools all the way through” their subsequent career stages.

UWiL alumna Carla Montilla ‘21 remarked on the impact of her internship at Mercury. “It was a great opportunity to learn about so many different sides of policy. I got to work on healthcare, environmental policy, elections, public relations…it was just such a great opportunity to be able to use so many skills.” Montilla reiterated the effectiveness of the UWiL alumni network. “I was just so touched that so many people cared about me, looked at my resume and my cover letter, and helped me practice for interviews.”

The two-day UWiL Workshop is the annual capstone of UWiL’s programming, offering students an opportunity to network with state and campus leadership, alumni, and mentors during the fireside chat and the Women & Public Service Dinner, followed by an intensive day of skill-building sessions. This year’s tenth anniversary workshop was sponsored by the UMass Amherst Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Women of Color Leadership Network, Mercury, Seven Letter, O'Neill and Associates, Baystate Health, and many individual donors.

Ann Murphy ‘77, former UWiL Board Chair and Partner at Seven Letter, a public affairs and public relations firm based in Boston and Washington DC, said she wished there was a program similar to UWiL when she was a student at UMass Amherst. “Coming back to UMass every year to attend the workshop and the dinner has been such a gratifying experience for me and puts the value of my education way up on a pedestal. It also gives me the opportunity to talk to other people about the value of the UMass education.”

Murphy noted how her former UWiL mentee, Lindsey McCauley '18, began her work with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Administration and Finance with the support of her UWiL experience, and “When I saw her today, she said she was just at a budget meeting at the statehouse where there were five UWiL Fellows,” all working in state government. 

Friday’s fireside chat on leadership and public service featured a panel of Massachusetts state government officials who told personal stories of their experiences across their careers: Kim Driscoll, Lieutenant Governor; Yvonne Hao, Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development; Melissa Hoffer ’91G, Climate Chief; Monica Tibbits-Nutt, Secretary of Transportation; and Kate Walsh, Secretary of Health and Human Services. The panel was moderated by Cassie McGrath ’21, UWiL alumna and health care reporter for the Boston Business Journal. Lieutenant Governor Driscoll commented, “We’re the all-first female team to lead the Commonwealth, so we’re hoping to make grounds on having more women involved. We know how important it is to have women around the table, whether it is the corporate table or Congress, to make decisions that impact people’s lives.”

Regarding gender equity in politics, “We’re moving in the right direction, but we need programs like UWiL to move us faster,” Goncalves remarked at the dinner, citing a UN Women report that at the current rate of women entering the highest levels of leadership, gender equity will not be reached for 130 years.

The School of Public Policy: A New Home for the Next Phase of UWiL

UWiL has been under the auspices of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) since Goncalves founded the program in 2014. At the dinner, Goncalves announced that this would be her final year as Executive Director, as UWiL will be moving within SBS to the School of Public Policy. Marking this moment of transition, UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes took the stage to announce the establishment of the Michelle Goncalves Scholarship, and officials from the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate presented special citations honoring UWiL and Goncalves for ten years of public service leadership. UWiL Board of Directors co-chairs Monserrate Rodríguez Colón ’95 and Heather Ducharme ’16, with past co-chair Kaylee Johnson '16G, '19PhD, closed the evening with additional recognition of Goncalves’ efforts. 

“This program means to the world to me, and I know it that it means the world to so many women in this room,” said Ducharme, as Rodríguez Colón conferred a Governor’s citation to Goncalves from the Healey administration.

Fostering Meaningful Alumni Connections

Feuerstadt, Murphy, and Montilla encouraged UMass alumni to become involved in UWiL in various ways, such as critiquing resumes, holding mock interviews, or hosting field trips. 

“There are great opportunities during the year for alumni to serve as mentors. Mentorship is wonderful,” said Murphy, noting that virtual mentoring is available, as the students are based in Amherst. “That’s something that’s very, very valuable.” Feuerstadt emphasized that with so many ways to get involved, “even if you have a little bit of time, it makes a humongous impact on whoever it is that you're helping.” 

“This program attracts a very special group of talent. Ask how your skills can best serve the students we have here,” suggested Montilla.

“It really has been phenomenal, and I can't wait to see it in another 10 years,” said Feuerstadt.

This story was originally published by the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences.