ACE Brief on Women in Higher Ed Leadership

ACE’s latest International Briefs for Higher Education Leaders features an article written by Labouré President Lily S. Hsu, Ed.D. In “Leading with a View from Behind: A Personal Reflection,” Hsu looks back on her experiences as a woman of color and the daughter of immigrants, and how those experiences have made her a better leader for Labouré’s students.

“I benefit from being a leader who has the knowledge and expertise to be a CEO, along with shared life experiences with the majority of Labouré students. Each one of us shares a bond of knowing what it is to be from two different worlds, one you may have left behind – geographically or socioeconomically – and another that is not always welcoming or understanding. Because of these experiences, my presence tells each student that we share common knowledge and experiences and that, like me, they can succeed.” 

Hsu’s essay is one of more than a dozen pieces featured in the July issue, titled Women’s Representation in Higher Education Leadership Around the World. This issue explores the impact of women leaders in higher education, their challenges, their accomplishments, their contributions to the field, and their hopes for the future.

Read President Hsu’s full contribution and more online on ACE's website ahead of Women’s Equality Day (August 26th).

The Briefs series by ACE – the American Council on Education – is a collaboration with the Center for International Higher Education (CIHE) at Boston College and highlights the evolving diversity and global nature of higher education “with the ultimate goal of helping institutional and government leaders around the world develop cumulative knowledge to inform policies, establish impactful partnerships, and tackle key challenges affecting higher education today.”