Marshall University is proud to announce it has received a $1 million gift from the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation (HGB) to create the BOLD Women’s Leadership Experience at Marshall. This transformative initiative aims to cultivate leadership among undergraduate women, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.
The Helen Gurley Brown Foundation started the BOLD (Building Opportunities for Leadership and Development) Women’s Leadership Network as a pioneering program to empower women during their college years and beyond. Through scholarship funding, BOLD facilitates opportunities for personal growth, career development, networking and more.
“We are thrilled to bring the BOLD Women’s Leadership Experience to Marshall University to help our students grow and learn more than they ever thought possible,” said Alys Smith, First Lady of Marshall University. “We want our students to reach and aim higher — and HGB is the perfect partner for that.”
The BOLD program at Marshall will offer selected students a comprehensive leadership curriculum, including workshops, mentorship opportunities and community engagement projects. By connecting students with a network of accomplished women leaders, the program aims to facilitate meaningful career launches upon graduation.
“We are grateful to the HGB Foundation for its generous support of Marshall For All, Marshall Forever,” said Nico Karagosian, president and CEO of the Marshall University Foundation. “This gift both strengthens our commitment to student success and we’re proud to bring this experience to Marshall under the guidance of First Lady Alys Smith, who will lead this transformative initiative.”
The BOLD program at Marshall will be the first one in Appalachia and the sixth BOLD program in the country.
The inaugural cohort of BOLD Scholars at Marshall University will start in Fall 2025. Interested students can learn more about the program and application process at www.marshall.edu/bold.
For more information about the BOLD Women’s Leadership Network, visit www.marshall.edu/bold or www.thehgbfoundation.org.
About the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation
Established in 2010 to honor the legacy of Helen Gurley Brown and her husband David, the foundation supports initiatives that empower women and youth through education, leadership development and innovation. The BOLD Women’s Leadership Network is one of its flagship programs, aiming to cultivate courageous leadership in college students on campuses across the country.