Deadline: Tuesday, April 7, 2015
When women are empowered to exercise leadership at all levels, it is not just in the service of women but also as a contribution to the betterment of society as a whole. In particular, women’s labor force participation and entrepreneurship are increasingly salient factors in the economic growth and societal transformation of the Asia Pacific. A gender gap, however, continues to exist as poor access to training, networks, role models, and information depress the economic participation, particularly the entrepreneurship, of women throughout the Asia Pacific region. Launched in 2002, the Changing Faces Seminar provides an annual opportunity innovative women entrepreneurs from the Asia Pacific region to enhance their entrepreneurial capacity and leadership skills as well as experientially explore entrepreneurship, leadership, and community engagement in a multicultural and economically diverse environment. In addition, the Changing Faces Seminar aims to cultivate economic, professional, and social ties among Asia Pacific women entrepreneurs for the mutual benefit of the participants and their local communities. Designed for mid-career, business and social entrepreneur women from Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the United States, the Changing Faces Seminar contributes to economic growth and job creation of the Asia Pacific region.The Changing Faces Seminar is recognized as a capacity building model for women entrepreneurs in the forthcoming academic text titled,Women and Leadership Around the World, and will be featured as such at the International Leadership Association’s conference, ‘Advancing Women in Leadership,’ this June.
The 2015 Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar:
Women as Innovators and Entrepreneurs
Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii
July 12 – 25, 2015
The 2015 Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar will focus on the important role that innovation and entrepreneurship play in contributing to economic growth, job creation, and strengthening communities. During this 12-day professional training, dialogue and travel program, participants engage in a series of workshops focused on leadership and entrepreneurship that are facilitated by a noted women’s leadership trainer and the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Shidler College of Business. Participants also expand their knowledge of entrepreneurship, economic growth, leadership, and community building through carefully selected field visits and meetings with experts, practitioners, business owners, and policymakers in Hawaii. Participants are individually matched with local women leaders in a Host Mentor Program and, in return, Changing Faces participants act as mentors for a select group of high school students from a local all-girls school in a Next Generation Service Project. Finally, the Changing Faces Seminar provides training and consultative sessions to help participants develop and actualize a concrete Action Plan for the betterment of their business or their community.
Who Can Apply:
The Changing Faces Seminar targets female business owners and social entrepreneurs who have demonstrated leadership and ability to affect change and influence others in their communities. Innovative business managers, government and industry policymakers, and civil society organization leaders with at least seven years of work experience and who play a leadership role in their community are also eligible to apply. Innovators may generally be defined as those who have created an original idea or product or are recognized for their ability to improve upon an original idea or system. Applicants must have the ability to communicate in English in a professional, multi-cultural setting. Preference is given to candidates with limited opportunities for international exchange and professional development as well as those who have offered to cost-share programmatic costs.A phone interview may be conducted with finalists.
Funding:
The 2015 Changing Faces Seminar is funded by the East-West Center with entrepreneurial training provided by Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.EWC will fund eight women from the Asia Pacific region, defined here as: the United States, Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Tonga, and Vietnam. EWC funding covers lodging and meals in Honolulu and Maui, local ground transportation, interisland airfare to Maui, and other programmatic costs.Participants are responsible for their roundtrip airfare to and from Honolulu, visa fees, health insurance and baggage charges. EWC encourages additional participant cost-sharing of programmatic costs and considers cost-sharing in the selection of applicants.
East-West Center funding is not available for citizens outside the Asia Pacific region, but qualified women from outside the region arehighly encouraged to apply. Applicantsnotfrom those countries listed above must pay a seminar fee, ofUSD $2,525/per participant, to be paid prior to the beginning of the seminar. The seminar fee covers the following programmatic costs:
- Interisland airfare from Honolulu to Maui, Hawaii
- Ground transportation and airport transfers
- Lodging in Honolulu and Maui for 12 days
- Provided program meals and a modest per diem
- Pro-rated speaker honorariums and training workshops
- Individually tailored host mentorship
- Cultural activities and networking opportunities
- Seminar DVD of program documents, speaker PowerPoint presentations and photos
- Participant resource materials
- Experienced facilitators with knowledge of regional and women’s leadership issues
NOTE: Self-funded women are also responsible for their flights to and from Honolulu as well as visa fees, health insurance and baggage fees.
How to Apply:
All applicants must complete an application form, which can be downloaded from the website.http://www.eastwestcenter.org/seminars-and-journalism-fellowships/policy-dialogue/changing-faces-womens-leadership-seminar
In addition to thecompleted application form, applicants must also provide the following:
- Letter of Interest(maximum three pages) including:
- A brief description of your company/organization and your role
- What you expect both to contribute and to gain from participating in Changing Faces
- Concrete example(s) of professional leadership and innovation, as defined above
- Demonstrated potential for impact within your community
- Identify a priority goal either for your organization or community and outline the role you can or would like to play in achieving that goal.*NOTE* This will serve as the basis of your Action Plan for the coming year.
- Resume/CV(maximum two pages)
- Two Professional Letters of Recommendationdescribing your suitability for the seminar. The letters should be signed and on letterhead.
Late applications will not be accepted.Please send applications byTuesday, April 7via email, fax or post to:
Email:changingfaces@eastwestcenter.org
Fax: 808-944-7600
Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Seminar
East-West Seminars
East-West Center
1601 East-West Road
Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96848-1601, U.S.A.
For inquiries about the application process, please call: 808-944-7727.
Questions about the Fellowships program should be directed to: Liz A. Dorn, Program coordinator,dorne@eastwestcenter.org; 808-944-7368.