Oprah Winfrey on Maya Angelou: “She has taught me some of the most profound lessons of my life: that when we know better, we do better; that to love someone is to liberate, not possess, them; that negative words have the power to seep into the furniture and into our skin; that we should be grateful even for our trials. She calls me her darling girl, and I call her my mother-sister-friend. And as I soak up her wisdom and marvel at her stamina, I bask in the pure, contagious joy she takes in living.”
Michelle Obama on Hillary Clinton: “She has been an inspiration to women and girls around the world. She is a role model for me in so many ways. I don’t think she realizes how what she has done has made what I am doing partially possible. So with all the respect and admiration that I can give to her, I will be wherever she needs me to be, whenever she needs me to be there.”
As for Sasha and Malia, Beyonce “could not be a better role model.”
Sheryl Sandberg on her mother: “My mom is the most giving woman in the whole world who has done more for me and everyone else around her than anyone I’ve ever met.”
Meryl Streep on Hillary Clinton: “She has turned out to be the voice of her generation. I’m an actress, and she is the real deal.”
Eleanor Roosevelt on headmistress Marie Souvestre: “I basked in her generous presence, and I think those three years did much to form my character and gave me the confidence to go through some of the trials that awaited me… rather an extraordinary character. She often fought seemingly lost causes, but they were often won in the long run.”
Oscar winner Jessica Chastain on actress Isabelle Huppert: “She’s always putting herself in a situation where she goes: ‘I’ve never done this before. Let’s see what happens.’”
Marlo Thomas on Gloria Steinem: “We have been confidantes, soul mates and sisters.”
Enrollment for our Fall 2015 Rutgers Executive Leadership Program for Women, launching Sept. 16th, is now open. In its 16th year, with a 36% rate advancement into more senior roles among graduates, our glass ceiling initiative is changing the playing field for women. For more information, and to apply click here.
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