Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I N O. V I M A R C H 2 4 , 2 0 2 5 28 ainebiz: What do you feel were some of your most challenging, and rewarding, accomplishments during your time in Congress? Olympia Snowe: In addition to chair- ing the Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues for my last 10 years in the U.S. House, I served on several important committees including commerce, armed services, intelli- gence and small business. e work was important to both our state and our country and gave me a platform from which to help Maine across a spectrum of issues, from fighting for Bath Iron Works and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to advocating for our state's small businesses, and providing our rural schools and libraries with access to vital broadband and internet connectivity. MB: What inspired you to start the Olympia Snowe Women's Leadership Institute? OS: e concept of the Olympia Snowe Women's Leadership Institute was born out of my lived experience and research showing that girls lose confidence more than three times faster than boys as they transition from middle to high school. When I was first elected to Congress, women made up just 3% of the body. Today, women hold 28% of the seats in Congress. We have made prog- ress, but women represent 50% of our country's population, so we have more work to do. Forums in which decisions are made and policies set are stron- ger when women have a seat at the table. With too few women in visible leadership roles and with girls losing confidence, the pipeline of talent has the potential to wither. I wanted to influence that outcome and let Maine girls know that we need them to be the leaders they aspire to be. MB: How is the institute's model having an impact on the program's participants and on the state? OS: e institute is bridging the gap between girls' aspirations and their ability to realize their dreams. Of Olympia's Leaders, as the girls are known, 100% graduate high school, 96% go on to post-secondary edu- cation, and more than 80% pursue STEM studies. e last statistic illus- trates that our girls have the confidence to enter fields that have traditionally been male dominated. Training the next generation of women leaders After a long career in public service, Olympia Snowe now champions women through her leadership institute B y T i n a F i s c h e r P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F O LY M P I A S N OW E Olympia Snowe served in elected office for four decades and was the first woman to serve in both the state House and Senate and the U.S. House and Senate. After retiring from the U.S. Senate in 2013, she founded the Olympia Snowe Leadership Institute with a mission to build confidence, raise aspirations and encourage leadership in high school girls. In 10 years, the nonprofit has served more than 1,400 girls from 37 high schools, from every county in Maine. C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3 0 » M LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Olympia Snowe Served in the U.S. Senate (1995–2013), the U.S. House of Representatives (1979-1995), and the Maine House and Senate (1973–79), as a Republican Founder of Olympia Snowe Women's Leadership Institute, 2014 When our girls thrive, our state and our workforce thrive, too.

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