Mission & History
Mission
The mission of the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) is to strengthen the impact of Utah girls, women, and families. We serve Utah and its residents by 1) producing relevant, trustworthy, and applicable research; 2) creating and gathering valuable research-based resources; and 3) convening trainings and events that inform, inspire, and ignite growth and change for all Utahns.The UWLP is housed with Dr. Susan R. Madsen within Utah State University (USU) Extension as part of her faculty research and societal impact work. This work aligns with USU’s mission to prioritize academics while fostering diversity of thought, culture, and public service through learning, discovery, and engagement. It also reflects the mission of USU Extension, which provides research‑based programs and resources designed to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities throughout Utah. Together, these missions affirm that the UWLP’s work is a core expression of USU’s commitment to research, public engagement, and statewide impact.
To provide "research-based programs and resources designed to improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities," Dr. Madsen and her UWLP team launched A Bolder Way Forward (BWF) in June of 2023. This is a 7-year movement with the purpose of using research to ensure that more Utah girls, women, and their families thrive. The UWLP, housed in Utah USU Extension, is the backbone organization of BWF. Hence, the primary support for BWF is the UWLP, with Dr. Susan R. Madsen at the helm maintaining her focus on conducting and disseminating academic research. USU is designated as a 501(c)(3), so financial investments in the UWLP and BWF move through USU. A BWF is an initiative within the UWLP.
Download the UWLP brochure and resource guide. Spanish versions available here: brochure and resource guide.
History
The seeds for the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) were sown in 2008 when Utah’s Commissioner of Higher Education, Bill Sederberg, and Assistant Commissioner, Lucille Stoddard, approached Dr. Susan R. Madsen about the troubling status of women and education within the state of Utah. This conversation led to the creation of the “one-year” Utah Women and Education Project (UWEP) in 2009, a major research endeavor focused on increasing the rates of women attending and graduating from college.
By 2011, it became clear that a more organized effort was needed to assist Utah in moving forward with positive change. Thus, in addition to UWEP, the Utah Women’s College Task Force was formed by the Commissioner’s Office in conjunction with the Utah Governor’s Office. At this point, it expanded from a Utah Valley University (UVU) project to a statewide effort supported by institutions of higher learning, business leaders, and the highest offices of state government. From this task force came the Utah Women and Education Initiative (a name change from UWEP), an organizational hub for coordinated social change efforts that was supported/sponsored by a variety of institutions across many different fields.
In 2012, Dr. Susan R. Madsen took the leadership of the Utah Women and Education Initiative, guiding the Initiative in the direction of generating important research and research-based resources. Responding to requests for research on women’s leadership in Utah, Madsen also started the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) in 2013 and combined the two initiatives formally in 2016. Up to this point, the work was conducted primarily by Dr. Madsen, a student, and some volunteers, outside of her paid employment as the Orin R. Professor of Leadership and Ethics in the Woodbury School of Business at UVU.
In 2016, Robbyn Scribner joined the team as a researcher and became the UWLP Assistant Director from 2018-2020; a full-time coordinator position was also added to further support the UWLP. Hence, with support from key UVU administrators, community supporters, and many donors, Madsen’s statewide projects have extended in scope and reach to promote women of all ages and now incorporate the importance of leadership as well as education.
Over the past decade, Dr. Madsen and her team have hosted a multitude of events and gatherings; produced and published scores of research briefs, snapshots, and resources; and connected thousands of women to the ideas, information, and inspiration they need to move forward with their own education and leadership goals.
In 2020, the Project moved to Utah State University (USU). Dr. Madsen was hired as the Inaugural Karen Haight Huntsman Endowed Professor of Leadership in the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, with a segment of her role designated for working with Extension. USU provided a Program Assistant in 2020 as well. Funded through a Utah legislative allocation, the roles of Associate Director and Statewide Community Outreach Manager were added.
Through an additional ongoing Utah legislative allocation in 2023, a Marketing & Communications Manager and a Statewide Impact Manager were added so that research, resources, and events could be spread throughout the state of Utah. In 2023, Statewide Community Outreach Manager was shifted to Local Outreach & Curriculum Manager.
On June 9, 2023, the UWLP launched a statewide initiative, A Bolder Way Forward (BWF) in Utah. More than 500 individuals attended the launch ready to embrace and engage in efforts to help ensure that more women and girls can thrive in any Utah setting. National and statewide studies continue to show that women and girls in Utah are not thriving in critical areas such as domestic violence, sexual assault, child sexual abuse, and gender-based discrimination. If we are serious about ensuring that Utah women and girls thrive, we need to create change by 2030, with a check point in 2026. BWF brings together entities and individuals who are already doing related work or who want to get involved. During the coming years, BWF leaders will work to accomplish bold goals in 18 critical areas that require societal change.
UWLP coordinated the 2nd Annual Bolder Way Forward Summit on June 6, 2024. Nearly 700 individuals attended with another 200 joining via Livestream. The purpose of this second gathering was to celebrate the accomplishments of the first year of our seven-year statewide movement. Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson provided remarks for the opening session, and breakout sessions were conducted by spoke and impact team leaders.
The 3rd Annual Bolder Way Forward Summit was hosted by the UWLP on June 6, 2025, with nearly 1,000 individuals attending. This third gathering provided the opportunity to review accomplishments of the first two years and look ahead to next steps. Breakout sessions were conducted by spoke and county coalition leaders, with the opportunity to visit impact team tables.
In January 2026, the UWLP moved from the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business to USU Extension. Under Dr. Madsen's oversight as an Extension Professor of Leadership and specialist with USU Extension, the UWLP’s mission has now expanded and deepened through its partnership with Utah’s only land-grant institution tasked with statewide impact. However, in March of 2026, the Utah Legislature took most of 2021 and all of the 2023 allocations intended to support the mission of the UWLP. USU is committed to finding bridge funding for the 2026-2027 academic year as more permanent funding is again being sought. The UWLP is Utah’s only research entity with a focus on girls, women, and families.
