(15th to 18th January 2024) USAID's Higher Education System Strengthening Activity (HESSA) recently conducted a transformative four-day training program at Lahore College for Women University. This intensive session concentrated on two pivotal areas crucial to the advancement of student support services at Pakistani higher education institutions: Executive Student Leadership and Fundraising. Dr. Randy McCrillis, Dean of Students and Executive Director of the Office of Global Engagement at the University of Utah, led the Executive Leadership segment, focusing on strategies for fostering student belonging. Concurrently, Dr. Shariq Siddiqui, Assistant Professor of Philanthropic Studies and Director of Muslim Philanthropy at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, served as the lead trainer for Financial Aid: Fundraising.
Participants from diverse departments representing 16 universities actively engaged in the training sessions, fostering a rich exchange of ideas. The training concluded with a formal closing ceremony and a vote of thanks to LCWU for hosting the training sessions. Vice Chancellor LCWU Prof Dr. Shagufta Naz distributed certificates to all participants as a recognition of their successful completion of the 4-day training program.
The overarching objective of this program was to empower participating universities in developing action plans for student support. These plans aim to enhance existing services and introduce innovative programs. By focusing on executive leadership and financial aid, the training aimed to equip university representatives with the necessary skills and knowledge to facilitate students and make higher education more accessible. In essence, the USAID's HESSA training hosted by LCWU stands as a testament to collaborative efforts in advancing the quality and effectiveness of higher education services across diverse institutions.
