Two Rochester women were chosen to be Bush Fellows to pursue more leadership training.
Kim Norton and Yuko Taniguchi were among 24 people chosen from Minnesota and the Dakotas or from 23 Native American nations in the area. In all 465 people applied.
Fellows receive up to $100,000 for one to two years "to pursue learning experiences that help them develop leadership skills and attributes."
Norton, who is stepping down this year from her job as a state legislator, was noted for rallying support for Destination Medical Center, and wants to help the city through dramatic change. She will complete her master's degree at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and grow her transformational leadership skills through the Women in Power executive education program at Harvard Kennedy School.
Taniguchi was inspired by how fisherwomen in her native Japan used art to heal from the devastating grief and trauma of a tsunami. That inspiration began her work with the Arts at the Bedside Program at the Mayo Clinic, where she helps patients tap into their creativity to express fear, anxiety and grief. With her fellowship, she will explore the connections between art and resiliency both at the individual and community level. She will study with national experts who use the arts to connect mind, body and people.
