The Center for Social Concern in Campus Ministry is pleased to share that the University of Dayton Center for Leadership Team is the 2026 recipient of the Miryam Award. The team consists of Madeline Weiler, April Mescher, Kelsey O'Rourke, Dave Evans, Kim Schenck, Mary Bogart, Katie Sullivan, and Jen Cadieux. They have done great work in supporting and forming women’s leadership and have built a culture of modeling an equitable and healthy working environment in all they do.
The Miryam Award honors those who have made significant contributions in advancing the climate for women here at UD, above and beyond their role, while reflecting the Marianist mission of the university. The Center has created opportunities for growth and change through their Women Lead. Certificate Program. They also have done the hard work of culture shifting through their inclusive leadership model as a team.
Maddie Weiler, the Center’s co-director, shares, “Women Lead. emerged from the recognition of a significant regional gap in leadership development for women at various stages of their careers. Women Lead. was created to offer women intentional space to reflect, grow, and build a strong network of support and community with one another. It was never designed to suggest that women need to be ‘fixed.’ Instead, it recognizes that women often benefit from space to slow down, gain clarity, and support one another in leadership journeys that can feel isolating.”
In addition to the many relationships and life skills fostered through Women Lead., the Center has advocated for pay raises for female faculty, stays abreast and involved in research and service on gender and labor in higher education, and grows together as a team in trainings on allyship and DEI initiatives. Not only does the Center produce meaningful results for many members of the campus and Dayton communities, the way they work internally steps out of the status quo and leans into a more holistic approach to the workplace.
In her nomination, Weiler discloses the purposefulness of the team, “At the Center, we intentionally model shared leadership rather than hierarchical leadership... That structure itself challenges traditional leadership norms and hierarchies that often marginalize women’s voices…
We celebrate personal milestones, caregiving responsibilities, and life events alongside professional achievements. We also model clear boundaries and the ability to say no when necessary. In doing so, we push back against the expectation that women must overextend themselves to be seen as committed.”
The culture of shared leadership and modeling clear boundaries lives out the Marianist charism of inclusivity and a discipleship of equals. In treating every member of the team as an equal, with unique talents, skills, and needs, the Center has created a work environment which allows all to thrive.
UD’s Center for Leadership will be recognized for their great work at the Miryam Award Ceremony on March 25 at 4:30 in the KU West Ballroom. Please RSVP to cscoutreach@udayton.edu if you plan to attend. Light hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be provided.