Allyson Lowe, Provost of Yorkville University, shared with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine her journey and insights into gender disparities in leadership roles. With a rich background in political science and a strong focus on women’s participation in politics, Allyson has seen firsthand the impact of having women in leadership within the academic sphere and beyond. She emphasizes the crucial contributions women make when included in top decision-making roles and highlights the barriers they face when transitioning from academia to the corporate world, particularly around societal norms and caregiving responsibilities. Allyson advocates for policies that support work-life balance and encourages young women to actively seek leadership roles, build strong networks, and pursue their passions to achieve professional success.
Can you walk us through your professional journey leading up to your role as the Provost of Yorkville University? How have your experiences as a woman in academia influenced your perspectives on the gender disparities in leadership, both within and outside the academic world?
I’m trained in political science, with special interest in policy, institutions and women’s participation in politics and leadership. That has made working in higher education a living case study in many ways! I earned a Ph.D. in political science with focus on comparative politics and women’s studies from the Ohio State University. My first teaching faculty appointment, as the Hillman Chair of Women and Politics, was at a university founded to serve women students. That emphasis on women in leadership from student government to the Presidency is a powerful example of cultivating and valuing women’s voices and presence. Subsequently, I served as director of a center for women, politics and public policy, helping engage women in leadership, advocacy, and elections. Loving both the field and administration, I became a department chair, school dean, vice president academic and now provost across a range of private universities of various types and sizes.
The Academy can be a very traditional place, but also a place where change can be generated by students, faculty, staff, alumni and the knowledge created in scholarly activity. I’ve been fortunate to contribute to and benefit from having a seat at many tables and researching and promoting means for greater access not just for women, but other marginalized communities.
How do you believe women in leadership positions, particularly in C-Suites and on boards, uniquely contribute to the dynamics and success of their organizations?
If we leave half of the population out of decision-making roles, or only find a few women in key positions, then we exclude knowledge, perspectives, and experiences that can enhance programs, business decisions, and expand the scope of what is possible, profitable, and productive for an organization, government or business’s constituencies or client.
What are the primary barriers women face when transitioning from academia to the corporate world, and could you provide examples of how they manifest in real-world scenarios?
Anyone changing sectors – say from a faculty or academic role to a corporate one or a business person transitioning to a teaching or administrator role – should be attentive not only to changes in role, but in culture. For example, are values grounded in shared governance or hierarchical decision-making. Success involves bringing key skills and knowledge but also about understanding, respecting, and where needed, challenging the norms of a new work environment.
For example, both academics and corporate worlds are entrepreneurial: individuals are asked to ask and answer hard questions. In academics, this is often through faculty research and finding grants to support one’s work. In business environments, managers might pitch a new product or idea based on market research to bring something to market. Both worlds value data-informed decision-making but may have a different relationship to who creates, uses, and disseminates data.
How do structural inequalities and societal norms, particularly around caregiving roles, intertwine to impact women’s career advancement, and what strategies can be implemented to address these issues?
Women still carry a disproportionate share of caregiving duties for children, but increasingly for older family members, a less recognized caregiving double burden. Supporting parental leave policies and utilization for women and men encourages burden-sharing. Expanding opportunities for employees to have flexibility for care, not just for children, also recognizes the aging of society and the complex needs of women to support multiple generations.
Additionally, women, or other marginalized populations, are regularly asked to carry an extra “service” burden, such as mentoring others “like them,” or serving on EDI committees. These asks may not be made of male colleagues and such work may not be valued in performance reviews thus putting an identity or cultural tax on the work of women.
What proactive steps should be taken by academic institutions to ensure a significant presence of talented and skilled women, making it impossible for the corporate sector to overlook them?
Universities and colleges are often, already enrolling a majority of students who identify as women. At my own institution, Yorkville University, 70% of our students are women. The talent is well-established in degree pathways for employers to capture. But hiring equal numbers of women and men will not be enough if the pathway to advancement is fraught with inequitable pay, policies, or practices. Employers who seek to cultivate women and diverse talent need to match their practices for advancement, balancing work and family life, and creating welcoming workspaces to the needs of these new employee demographics.
What advice would you like to offer to young women who are currently navigating their educational paths and aspire to leadership positions in their professional futures?
Find a field you love and pursue it. Careers and roles are changing with increasing frequency but your ability to learn and grow will help you navigate changing technologies, market demands, and sectors, regardless of the current titles and positions. As you move through your career, find opportunities to practice leadership. Women often wait to be asked to lead. Volunteer for roles that are stretch assignments, trusting that you know and can learn as you work rather than waiting to be ready. Know that is okay to decline assignments that don’t speak to your expertise, interests, or that are part of the cultural taxation of women. Finally, use your networks, beginning with your university classmates (who are your future colleagues), career centers, professors, and alumni communities to build your circle of champions. They are already invested in your success!
