We are excited to invite you to CUNY’s annual Women’s Conference Week, which will be held in-person and virtually throughout the month of March. The conference theme this year, “CUNY Women Lead Loudly with Voice, Vision, and Valor,” celebrates bold, unapologetic leadership and the many qualities through which women have made their voices heard. To honor CUNY’s legacy of producing transformative women leaders and advocates in higher ed and beyond, our theme also highlights the bravery needed to be a true visionary in a tumultuous world.
The conference provides an opportunity for dynamic and inspiring leaders and scholars to come together and share stories, strategies and most effective methods for empowering women to tap into their strengths and find their unique voices to lead.
We invite you to lead a session during this year’s conference. This year, we are asking that conference proposals fall into one of the following tracks:
- Advocacy and Action – A track that focuses on women’s advocacy and organizing for systemic change.
- AI Futures – A track that explores how women at CUNY are leading the way in shaping the response to the rapid proliferation of AI usage and capabilities.
- Access and Abundance – A track that encourages active participation and leadership in financial direction and success, both personal and professional.
- Ascending Together – A track that highlights how women across CUNY lift one another through sponsorship, allyship, and collaborative leadership. It celebrates shared growth and the ways we advance collectively, across identities, disciplines, and campuses.
Please take this opportunity to complete the Call for Proposals form, which is due on or before Friday, Dec. 15, 2025. CUNY employees may need to log into their Office 365 accounts to complete the form (same username and password used for CUNYfirst).
Session Format:
All sessions will be 50 minutes including Q&A. We encourage presenters to design highly engaging presentations to enhance participants’ learning experiences. Proposals from individuals are welcome, as are panel proposals. Each track will be launched by a short introductory session at the beginning of the day.
All selected sessions will be delivered online via Zoom on Wednesday, Mar. 18, 2026, and will be recorded. Here is the full link to the form.
Session Selection Criteria:
The Women’s Conference Planning Team will review all proposals to determine which ones will be selected for the conference. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by Jan. 16, 2026.
For any additional questions, please email WomenLead@cuny.edu.
By the CUNY Women’s Leadership Initiative Team
