History

In 1993, as a result of studies showing that women were not climbing career ladders in academia at the same speed or ease as their counterparts, and based on their own experiences, thirteen faculty and administrators created BRIDGES as an affordable program for members of the academy to gain knowledge and experience in academic leadership. BRIDGES was the sole statewide leadership program exclusive to women faculty, staff, and administrators. In the beginning, the program’s goals were to:

• Develop insights into leadership focusing on special skills and attributes participants bring to their roles
• Acquire an understanding of the many facets of colleges and universities
• Refine and improve cross-cultural communication skills
• Create a program of personal and professional development to benefit participants and their institutions

When it was launched, BRIDGES was a 10-week program comprised of a small number of participants from UNC Chapel Hill and NC State. Later, it was converted to a four-weekend program and the range of participants was extended to include public and private institutions across NC. Originally, the focus was general leadership training, including team building, skill development, expansion of knowledge, 360 degree assessment, and balancing work/life demands in an academic setting. Over time, the curriculum expanded but has maintained a strong focus on work/life balance.