Empowering Her at Hun

Girls at Hun today find an abundance of programs designed specifically for them; from leadership programs and conferences to athletics and clubs, there are plenty of affinity groups in which to participate.

The Young Women’s Leadership Program 

The Young Women’s Leadership Program is a cohort of twenty-five girls, nominated annually each fall by faculty and staff based on their leadership potential. Once nominated, cohort members participate in leadership training, skill development workshops, networking panels, and activities designed to identify and hone their personal leadership styles. Workshops and activities include topics such as resisting toxic self-criticism, managing stress, practicing self-compassion, and embracing various leadership philosophies. Faculty advisor, Dayna Gash notes that one of the priorities of The Young Women’s Leadership Cohort is to allow girls the space to identify who they are as a leader and be able to understand leadership through their own lens and experiences. 

Gender Equity Matters 

“This year, student leaders plan to host events that highlight intersectional feminism with a purpose of emphasizing the concept that gender equity is about more than an overall idea of women’s rights,” said Allison Sims, faculty advisor. The mission of the Gender Equity Matters (GEM) program is to educate students on the matters of gender equity with a specific focus on intersectionality relating to gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, physical and mental abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, and background. GEM has a student executive board that is responsible for planning this year’s 2nd annual Women in the World Summit, “Our Different Paths”, scheduled for March 26th. 

Girls Who Code 

“Ultimately, this club is designed as a space for young women to feel empowered to be leaders in Computer Science,” said Amy Wright, faculty advisor and chair of the Computer Science and Engineering department. Originally formed in 2018, the Girls Who Code club began as a tight-knit group of girls with a passion for computer science. This year, the club is one of the largest on campus with several sub-groups within the club including computer science for community service, Hun hackathon, and cyber competitions. In a given year, members will compete in national competitions for scholarships, host hackathons, and explore future career opportunities in STEM. 

Female Athlete Network 

The Female Athlete Network, F.A.N., was established in the spring of 2021 with the mission of improving and promoting the female athlete experience at The Hun School. A few times a month, the forty members of F.A.N. meet to discuss topics of interest including nutrition, sports psychology, college recruitment, leadership, body image, and more. At the end of each month, a specialist in the particular field of interest joins the female athletes for a panel discussion on the topic. Brynn Hansson, explains that as faculty advisor, her goal is not only to provide a space for girls to lead conversations and share their experiences but to gather feedback on how their experiences can be elevated. 

SEED 

Established at The Hun School in 2018, The National Seeking Education Equity and Diversity project, SEED, was introduced to the community to address expressed inequities related to the experiences of girls on campus. Otis Douce, Director of Equity, Inclusion, and Global Diversity notes that SEED discussions, workshops, and seminars are created with the intention of fostering self-discovery, story sharing, and self-reflection. It is in these conversations where students and faculty explore their own personal experiences in the context of gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, ability, religion/spirituality, age, and socioeconomic status.