Education is a basic human right. It goes far much beyond just getting a job and pleasing parents. It is just supreme. However, today education remains an inaccessible right for millions of children around the globe. With poverty being the primary barrier to education, many women leaders have come forward to fight for education by ensuring the necessary students are funded and schools are in good condition to study. The following are some iconic women who have made a tremendous contribution in the aspect of education:
Judith Rodin
She is an iconic figure in the education sector. Rodin was appointed president of the University of Pennsylvania, being the first permanent female president of an Ivy League institution and the 7th president of the university. She made several remarkable achievements during her leadership period, among them being; leading Pennsylvania University to partner with the school district of Philadelphia and Philadelphia federation to start a new university for training school teachers. In addition, Judith was the 12th president of the Rockefeller Foundation for 12 years. During this period, she gave 20,000 New York Council public school students free tickets to Hamilton’s Broadway show.
Laurene Powell Jobs
She is the wife of the late Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs and the heiress to his wealth. Powell used her money to fund Emerson’s collective and a co-operation focused on creating systematic change in education. She also is the co-founder of XQ Institute, an organization of passionate network education dedicated to reimagining the high school education experience. Jobs is the college track’s board president, a program she founded in 1997 to prepare underserved students for success in college.
Anna Maria Chavez
Chavez, the first woman of color to head the Girl Scouts of the USA as the CEO, then again being appointed as the Executive Office of the National School Boards Association. NSBA advocates for equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership, which includes providing federal funding to people living with disabilities. For 80 years now, NSBA has been the leading advocate for public education, representing 49 state school boards association.
We owe special gratitude to our great women leaders who set footprints, motivate girls to dreams, and prove that anything is achievable.