Four women stand side by side, smiling at the camera in a conference room during an Institute for Women’s Leadership (IWL) event. They are dressed in business casual attire, with a projector screen and carpeted floor visible in the background.

The Sister Nancy Hynes’ Institute for Women’s Leadership (IWL) seeks to provide a forum where Bennies can explore and articulate their aspirations in a way that promotes community transformation.

About the Institute

The Sister Nancy Hynes’ Institute for Women’s Leadership is named after S. Nancy Hynes, who was an English professor at the College of St. Benedict and Saint John’s University. As a strong proponent of women’s education, she believed a woman armed with a solid education would, and should, break through patriarchal social norms and live out her God-given education.

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IWL Programming

The Institute for Women’s Leadership is dedicated to spreading awareness and empowerment. We work to bring relevant issues to light and give women the tools they need to become local and global leaders.

Hynes Scholars

Each year, first-year CSB students have the opportunity to apply to become a part of Hynes Scholars, a yearlong cohort-based program that explores gender and leadership. Applications for the 2026-2027 cohort will open in April 2026.

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