Former U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe left the Senate in 2013 after her third six-year term and a lengthy political career, but she hasn’t slipped into seclusion. Instead, Snowe is focusing on raising aspirations and confidence in future generations of Maine women.
Snowe, orphaned at age 9 and widowed at 26, knows from her observations and experiences what the studies show: that between elementary and high school, girls’ self-esteem drops, on average, 3.5 times more than boys’.
“Everywhere I go, I hear these same concerns about girls lacking the confidence to be what they have the ability to be. So I decided to do something about it and founded the Institute,” Snowe said. “By assisting more young women to be grounded in their values, find their voice and create a network of support, we will help them on a path to fulfill their potential.”