Diane MacGillivray City of Boston EXTRAordinary Women

Dear friends,

March used to be one of my least favorite months. An in-between time—no longer winter, but certainly not spring—chilly, grey, unexciting.

But over the past several years, March has taken on a whole new importance for me as we celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month across our communities and global campuses. And this year promises to be one of the best ever.

I’m especially excited about:

  • Our first-ever Women Who Empower event in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the trailblazing work of the Al Nahda Society, which seeks to equip women with the skills to succeed in the labor market, attain higher education, increase their self-esteem, and build their personal networks. It’s wonderful to be gathering in Riyadh with our community and to celebrate with an organization that truly walks the walk to uplift women.
  • A program on our London campus on Monday, March 4, featuring Jane Hartley, US Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland—only the second woman to hold this position and a tireless advocate for women’s empowerment. You can read more about her in this recent interview with British Vogue. Ambassador Hartley will be interviewed by one of my personal inspirations, Julietta Dexter, PNT’20, a member of our Northeastern London Board and a Women Who Empower Innovator Awards judge. Every time I have a chance to be with Julietta, I’m reminded of how amazing it is to have my job. A review of her book Good Company can be found here. 
  • A conversation with journalist, podcaster, author, and entrepreneur Elise Hu. I picked up Elise’s book Flawless at the Singapore Changi Airport this fall. It’s not the type of book I would typically go for, as I’m usually more of a fiction reader, but I more or less devoured it in one sitting. It’s impossible to categorize—history, political science, social commentary, memoir. I learned so much from it and wanted to know more about Elise, so I DM’d her and couldn’t believe it when she agreed to have coffee with me in Los Angeles last December.
Like her book, Elise is super smart, multi-dimensional and dedicated to the idea that women have both the power and agency to move beyond the cultural boundaries that so often hold us hostage. I can’t wait to hear more from Elise, and I know you will love her too. You can read her recent article on Sephora tweens here in The Atlantic. 

Our Boston program with Elise on March 19 is the first (of many!) collaborations between Women Who Empower and the Mills Institute. Shout out to Executive Director Christie Chung, who also just published a book, along with her 8-year-old daughter, called Inspire to Include.

  • Can you believe the Women’s Interdisciplinary Society of Entrepreneurship (WISE) is already turning five? To help us honor this milestone, we are welcoming some extraordinary speakers for WISE Turns Five on Friday, March 22, including DryBar founder and author of The Messy Truth Alli Webb. We often talk about the importance of authenticity, humor, humility, and keeping it real. Alli’s book delivers all of that and more. Having spent more hours (and dollars) than I’d like to admit in a DryBar chair, I can’t wait to hear more of her story.

    We are excited to celebrate the experiences, innovative mindsets, and diverse community of students who lead our dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem ahead of the 2024 WISE Summit on Saturday, March 23.

These are just a few of the activities and opportunities taking place throughout the month and across our campuses—click here for the full list. These programs, in their depth and diversity, are at the heart of why March has grown on me. Because now the month fosters energy and enthusiasm as these gatherings bring us together across different campuses and communities. I can count on feeling inspired no matter the weather and no matter where in the world I am lucky to be. You can learn more on our website and our Instagram.

Wherever you find your energy and inspiration, know that I am drawing it from you and that I am forever grateful for each and every one of the people that have been part of the Women Who Empower family.

Finally, I need to give a small, wholly inadequate, but heartfelt thanks to Sarah Balal, Kathleen Holtz, and Carolyn Jasinski, my OG WWE’s whose vision and hard work have made these March programs a tradition. And to Alix MacGillivray Parnia, who is, quite simply, the reason for all of this.

With gratitude, 

Diane Nishigaya MacGillivray
Senior Vice President for University Advancement
Northeastern University