Women weave the web of social justice globally.

The fall inauguration of Dr. Helen Sobehart as the first lay woman president of Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee WI presented a fortuitous opportunity for international learning.

Sobehart--whose work addresses social justice through the lens of women in leadership, their role and influence in educational leadership positions and the impact they have on children--invited a group of her colleagues to participate in a symposium as a gift to her new school.

The symposium "Women Weaving the Web of Social Justice" was based on the cutting-edge work Sobehart began when she was the associate provost/academic VP at Duquesne University in Pennsylvania.

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Symposium participants came from across the globe, including Turkey, the Republic of South Africa, Brazil and Germany as well the United States to both celebrate with Sobehart and to review their progress since their initial meeting at a week-long living and learning community held at Duquesne's Rome campus in 2007.

The outcome of a special interest group of the University Council for Educational Administration, the community explored best practices and ways for women leaders across the world to implement them.

The research began when a group of women in educational leadership looked for a source that addressed the status of their peers around the world. Since they were unable to find one, Sobehart organized the community, which attracted more than 40 participants. Their papers are being edited into a book that will be co-published with the American Association of School Administrators. The book represents the very resource that they had sought. Other outcomes will include a Website and future learning communities to ensure that the progress they made in Rome continues. The September 14-16, 2009 meeting is at the University of Augsburg in Germany.