Wheaton News

Participation in a leadership program has changed the way that Fern Tamagini-O’Donnell ’29 sees herself.

She stepped up this year to help first-year students in her residence hall to connect with each other and smooth their transition to campus life. The sophomore from Wareham, Mass., has also helped to organize campus music performances through the student-run music co-op.

“Before joining the Weiss Women’s Leadership Program, I’d never thought of myself as a leader,” she said. “The Weiss program helped me realize that meaningful leadership can be as small as simply modelling aspirational behavior, and being a source of friendship and trust for others. That has had a huge effect on my confidence.”

She’s seeing the benefit in other parts of her life, such as preparing for the release of an album of traditional Irish music with her long-time violin teacher and organizing performance and promotional opportunities. “It’s highly collaborative work and having these leadership skills is a major benefit,” she said.

Wheaton College students like Tamagini-O’Donnell are discovering their potential and developing their leadership skills through the award-winning program.

She was among 25 recent Weiss program participants who gathered in September at the inaugural Weiss Women’s Leadership Institute with a shared goal: staying connected as they grow into their roles as leaders.

Students helped shape the program through their interest in connecting with fellow program participants and strengthening relationships while enhancing their leadership skills.

During the daylong program, students learned about career flexibility, budgeting and entrepreneurship, along with strategies to build confidence and resilience. Sessions were led by guest speakers attorney Paloma Naderi ’09, certified financial planner Sandra Gilpatrick ’95, communications consultant Molly Galler ’06 and Weiss program organizers Assistant Dean of Students Ashley Noyes, Director of Alumni Relations and Strategic Engagement Becky Fernandes and Kelsey Pickering.

“Our students invested in themselves and in one another,” said Pickering, senior associate director of alumni career engagement. “They were engaged, thoughtful, curious and willing to be vulnerable. Watching them connect, ask great questions and lean into the day was a wonderful reminder of why this work matters.”

Empowering women to lead

Established in 2005 by a gift from the parents of Jamie Weiss Wieland ’07, the Mary & Donald Weiss Women’s Leadership Program has helped more than 200 students explore their strengths, develop leadership skills and build professional networks. Each January, a new cohort of approximately 20 first-year students participate in a week of programming, including interactive workshops on team-building exercises and mentoring, as well as presentations about conflict resolution, leadership fundamentals and career development.

Every student is mentored by a Wheaton alumna throughout the spring semester for networking assistance, advice and support. Together, the cohort attends monthly workshops from February through April, advancing professional development through group activities.

“Sometimes we don’t know what we want to do next or what opportunities even exist until we explore through someone else’s story,” said Naderi, a Weiss mentor. “It’s an honor to participate in this program and be a resource for Wheaton students to investigate their own strengths and build out their career aspirations. I was a first-generation college student and I would have benefited so much from this program, particularly the direct access to alumni.”

In 2025, the Weiss program earned state and regional “program of the year” awards from the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators in Higher Education, recognizing its innovation, creativity and contributions to students’ professional development and the institution.

Determining their own definition of leadership

The program contributes to the college’s broader mission of fostering a collaborative and vibrant extended community. Weiss participants are encouraged to explore and redefine what leadership means—a redefinition that comes through clearly in how participants describe their own growth.

“I learned that being a leader does not require having a formal leadership position,” said program participant Hailey Levangie ’29, a business and management major from Lincolnville, Maine. “It can also mean listening to others, building community, being willing to take initiative, and making sure people around you feel included. Overall, Weiss gave me a foundation for thinking more intentionally about leadership, and I regularly look to apply those lessons through both formal opportunities and my everyday involvement.”

For Kuenzang Dema ’29 of Bhutan, the program reshaped the idea of leadership. “I have always considered myself a leader, but through my amazing mentors and peers, I learned the beauty of self-leadership and learned to set my own personal goals that support my development and growth,” she said.

Benefiting from a community of women

Students value the supportive relationships they’ve developed from the program, and what those interactions have meant for their time at Wheaton.

“Meeting other women with different interests, experiences and goals has helped me feel more connected to the Wheaton community. They have encouraged me to pursue opportunities,” said Dema. “The friends I made continue to be a part of my life through my clubs, classes and on-campus jobs. It has truly been a joy to support and cheer on each other’s success and college journey.”

Charly Peter ’27, a double major in digital & media communications and theatre and dance studies, values the relationships she’s formed with fellow program participants just as much. “They’re amazing and kind people,” said the Stamford, Conn., resident. “I’m suitemates with one of them and another came to my 21st birthday party over the summer. Overall, the connections that I made set me up in Wheaton’s theater program and also gave me some lovely friendships to rely upon.”

Those connections extend beyond peers to their alumnae mentors and Wheaton staff, who offer additional support. “In addition to building a relationship with my mentor, Paloma Naderi, I’ve worked with Alida Gomez [assistant director of the Center for Global Education] to plan my upcoming spring semester abroad and to explore internship opportunities,” Levangie said.

Naderi marvels at the growth she’s seen in Levangie since they began collaborating. “Hailey has demonstrated curiosity in exploring professional opportunities that match her interests and in networking and building out connections with alumni,” she said. “These skills are the building blocks of career exploration and will serve her well as she explores different professional pursuits during her remaining years at Wheaton, and especially, post-graduation.”

Demonstrating their leadership capacity

The Weiss program’s success is evident in the growth of its participants, who have put what they’ve learned to use, through their campus involvement and contributions to the community.

Peter said that serving on the Wheaton Events Board as a sophomore was instrumental to her growth. “It taught me about time management, what a working environment would look like and how to advocate for myself,” she said. “That has helped me a lot.”

A member of the Hungry Lyons theme house, Peter is president of the college’s radio station and will stage manage Wheaton’s production of The Tempest this fall.

Peter studied abroad in London, “which was the best thing ever,” she said, and it ignited a desire to explore. With a job tentatively lined up in Edinburgh, Scotland, next summer, Peter is getting excited about post-graduation plans, when she hopes to pursue a master’s degree in communications at either the London School of Economics, Oxford University or the University of Toronto.

In her first year on campus, Dema joined clubs for international and South Asian students, the May Fellows Honor Society and the Education Club. She is now enjoying her service as a resident advisor and peer advisor. “I am excited to engage more with the community and support my fellow residents and mentees, as well as the different people I meet,” said Dema.

“The Weiss program has taught me that I do not have to lead alone. That is something I hope to carry with me throughout my time at Wheaton and beyond.”