TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Middle school girls involved with The University of Alabama Women’s Resource Center Young Women Leaders Program will be visiting the UA campus on Monday, April 25, to learn what college life is all about.

The Young Women Leaders Program (YWLP), a partnership between the University, Shelton State Community College, the 21st Century Program and Tuscaloosa’s Westlawn Middle School, is a 10-week mentoring program designed to promote middle school girls’ leadership abilities. The program pairs a middle school girl with a college student who was selected for her leadership qualities and her commitment to helping younger women find their leadership potential.

For 10 weeks, these college women participated in an extensive training on leadership skills, mentoring and the issues facing middle school girls today. This semester, each woman was assigned a little sister whom they met with once a week at Westlawn Middle School. These weekly sessions covered issues such as the qualities of a leader, current issues in the school and the community and planning for the future.

Each “Big Sister” will bring her “Little Sister” to the UA campus to visit classes, tour the WRC and eat lunch at the Ferguson Center. This field trip will provide a unique opportunity for the “Little Sisters” to experience college life.

“These young women do not know what to expect from a college environment,” said Elle Shaaban-Magaña, WRC assistant director. “The campus visit will allow them to see what college life can be like and the steps they can take to get there.”

For more information on the Young Women Leaders Program, contact the UA Women’s Resource Center at 205/348-5040.