A group of women student affairs professionals spent time together at the Women’s Leadership Institute (#wli10) in December 2010. These women stayed connected and in January 2011, the #WLSalt hashtag was sparked by this email from Teri (@tbump) to the other founding #WLSalt sisters:

“I’m finding myself wanting to tweet at the 6 of you so often so I think we need our own hashtag. Any suggestions #wli? I want to use the hashtag to send tweets that support, lift, encourage, promote women leaders. And, to invite others who do the same to use it as well building a network of women focused on consciously choosing to push women forward. I watch the twitter stream and women Student Affairs professionals are quick to devalue their work/skills/smarts. I send at least 1 DM a day to someone who has publicly diminished herself.  I’m looking to help build their self esteem, self respect, and encourage them to take their place at the table with confidence and the support of women like us. We can create a network of women who value what matters and will enthusiastically help each other achieve, score the best opportunities and see this world as their oyster. Are you in?”

All six #wli10 women were invested and committed.  They offered much, much more than hashtag ideas- they all brought their very best selves and their phenomenal strengths to the conversation & the plan.  After a conference call brainstorming session, we settled on Carolyn’s suggestion of #WLSalt. This hashtag includes SALT as a tribute to #WLI10 where twitter friends became IRL (in real life) relationships and WL to signify Women as Leaders.

Please join us and use #WLSalt for tweets that:
* Support: Provide support, connections, and resources for leadership, academic, and career opportunities
* Affirm: Highlight the success of women as leaders at all levels
* Lift: Lift up the voices that may be quieted in other venues
* Transform: Facilitate the continued success of woman in higher education

We are moving quickly beyond the hashtag and have activated a twitter account where we will co-tweet as @SAwomenLead.  Follow us as we follow you and grow, learn and encourage the amazing women who surround us all in higher education.  Please join us as we advance and support all women in the academe.

Julie @JPKirchmeier

Niki @NikiRudolph

Deb @DSchmidtRogers

Mary Jo @maryjogonzales

Amber @amberagd

Carolyn @carolyngolz

Teri @tbump