Pakistani Women Leaders in Higher Education Visit mid-Michigan

Mid Michigan College recently hosted a group of 25 Pakistani women leaders in higher education.

The visit was a part of a Michigan State University (MSU) program on Developing Female Leadership in Higher Education and is funded through a grant from the U.S. State Department.

Working in conjunction with HERS (Higher Education Resource Services) and the American Council on Education Women’s Network of Michigan (MI-ACE), MSU has developed a robust program to address the equity gap in women’s higher-education leadership in Pakistan.

The program focuses on equipping and empowering women at different stages of faculty and leadership development, a process that occurs at the individual, institutional, and system levels.

As part of this program, the guests from Pakistan visited several different types of organizations throughout mid-Michigan to get a better understanding of higher education in the United States. Their visit included the following destinations in key sectors where education and employment meet.

• Private higher education in the U.S., as exemplified by Alma College.
• Public higher education in the U.S., as exemplified by Central Michigan University. Although they visited the MSU campus, this was an opportunity for them to learn about the breadth and diversity of public universities.
• Community colleges in the U.S., as exemplified by Mid Michigan College. Community colleges have been unique to the U.S., but more developing nations are expressing interest in this model.
• The relationships between citizens/business/industry and higher education in the U.S., as exemplified by Aircraft Precision and the Central Michigan Manufacturer’s Association (CMMA).

“It was a pleasure to meet so many strong, interesting women, learn about the higher education system in Pakistan, and understand the importance of STEM in their curriculum,” shared Amy Fisher, Dean of Business & Professional Studies at Mid.

In addition to learning about Mid Michigan College (its mission, structure, and function), they also enjoyed lunch on the Mt. Pleasant Campus with many women leaders from the College, including students, staff, and faculty. The group also explored the nursing lab, physical therapist assistant lab, welding lab, and more through a comprehensive campus tour.

“We were honored to host the delegation,” noted Scott Mertes, Vice President of Academic Affairs & Community Outreach at Mid. “It was not only a wonderful opportunity to share our experiences with our guests, but it was a chance for Mid employees to learn from a group of distinguished higher education leaders.”

The delegation gathered outside of the Mid Michigan College Morey Technical Education Center in Mt. Pleasant for a group photo after their tour.

Delegates enjoyed conversation and lunch with Mid Staff, including Barb Wieszciecinski, Dean of Health Sciences at Mid.