Women Lead Honors Program

Mercy McAuley’s Women Lead Honors Program offers students unique opportunities for career exploration and academic achievement. Women Lead students are awarded credit on their high school transcripts, giving them a “leg up” with competitive colleges and universities. Participants graduate with significant advantages in becoming leaders within these highly sought-after careers. Incoming freshmen who meet the program's criteria are invited into the optional program. Students who are not granted admission as an incoming freshman may qualify for the program as a sophomore if they meet specific academic criteria at the end of their freshman year.

Freshman Year
During freshman year, students in the program will explore various careers through monthly seminars, which will include meeting with professionals, field trips, small group discussions and hands-on activities. Most seminars are after school and last approximately 90 minutes. Participants may have opportunities to attend other workshops in these careers that are offered in the Cincinnati area. One-fourth academic credit will be given if the student completes the requirements for the program. During the third quarter of the freshman year, students in the program will choose one of the following programs to continue through the sophomore, junior and senior year: Women Lead Medicine, Women Lead Law, Women Lead Engineering, Women Lead Technology or Women Lead Business.

Sophomore, Junior and Senior Year
During sophomore, junior and senior year, students explore many careers within their selected field of choice (Medicine, Law, Engineering, Technology or Business) through monthly seminars with professionals in these careers. Seminars include meeting with professionals, tours of the medical, law, technology or engineering firms, small group discussions, exposure to modern technology, and hands-on activities. Most seminars are held after school and last approximately 90 minutes. Participants may have opportunities to attend other workshops in these careers that are offered in the Cincinnati area. One-fourth academic credit will be given each year a student is in the program, provided she completes the program requirements.

To remain in the program, students must meet all curricular requirements, attend the monthly seminars, complete the required assignments, and maintain an average grade of 90 or higher in the program curriculum. For a detailed description of all the program requirements and specifics, please see the Course Description book.