In 2010, students at CMC approached Sarah Smith Orr, then Executive Director of the Kravis Leadership Institute, to address the need for female leadership mentors on campus. This led to the creation of the first Women & Leadership Workshop, designed to support all Claremont College students in preparing for post-graduation opportunities and careers. The workshop also connected students with successful women leaders from fields such as law, non-profits, entrepreneurship, finance, consulting, entertainment, education, government service, marketing, and healthcare. Building on the momentum of the workshop’s success, the Women & Leadership Alliance was born.

In 2016, Susan and Thomas Handley generously made a pledge to establish an annual fund that would expose Claremont College students to the experiences of women professionals in various fields and help forge relationships between students and professionals across industries and generations. Today, this fund provides an annual budget which supports the Women and Leadership Workshop as well as other programs focused on women and leadership.