Latest Report From Alverno College Surveys Women on Their Pathway to Public Office

Female elected officials in Wisconsin are invited to share their pathway to office for the upcoming report Wisconsin Women in Public Life - Elected Officials. The survey, conducted by Alverno College’s Research Center for Women and Girls (RCWG) in partnership with the Strategic Research Institute of St. Norbert College, intends to better understand women who have been successful in attaining public office. The project is sponsored by the State of Wisconsin Women’s Council and the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee.

The non-partisan survey is aimed at understanding paths to leadership for Wisconsin women in elected office, and hopes to improve the environment for women and girls to explore political leadership in the future. Studies demonstrate that if they run, women are just as likely as men to win elections, but that young women and girls are less likely to imagine themselves in office. While the landscape of women’s role in public life has changed in the past decade, this survey hopes to better understand the stories of women who are surviving, and thriving, in office today.

The survey marks the 50^th anniversary of the founding of Alverno’s Research Center for Women and Girls and honors the center’s first report from 1970, Wisconsin Women in Public Office.

Female elected officials who would like access to the survey should contact Jodi Eastberg, Ph.D., executive director of the Research Center at Research.Center@Alverno.edu. The survey will close on Wednesday, December 9.

Initial findings of the survey will be released in mid-January with the final report coming in summer 2021.

About the Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee

Our mission is to activate philanthropy to advance equity for women. We are a granting entity supporting solutions that result in sustainable and long-lasting transformation for our community. We engage in the power of collective philanthropy, and by supporting robust organizations that address issues that impact women and girls. We have supported the Milwaukee community for more than 30 years and are proud to be a member of the Wisconsin Women’s Fund Alliance, the Wisconsin Philanthropy Network and the Women’s Funding Network.

About the State of Wisconsin Women’s Council

The Women's Council promotes initiatives to empower women, serves as a clearinghouse for information on programs and resources, conducts research on the status of women, and engages in unique partnerships to address barriers and inequalities affecting Wisconsin women. The Women's Council is comprised of 15 members appointed by the Governor and Legislative leaders.

About the Strategic Research Institute at St. Norbert College

The St. Norbert College Strategic Research Institute (SRI) is one of the Midwest’s most respected sources of data-driven insight. For businesses and nonprofits throughout the region, the institute provides the means to make strategically sound decisions on fundamental questions of opportunity, direction and growth.

Visit the SRI website for a complete list of services and examples of project experience. You can contact the SRI at 920-403-3247, toll-free at 877-214-7183, or by email at sri@snc.edu.

About Alverno College

Founded in 1887 by the School Sisters of St. Francis, Alverno College promotes the academic, personal and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Undergraduate programs for women are offered in more than 60 areas of study, and graduate programs in education, nursing, community psychology, school psychology, music therapy, music and liturgy, and business are open to women and men.

A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report. For the past two years, The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education named Alverno the country’s most inspiring college.

Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college.