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On Thursday, October 2nd, Dr. Robin Field and Delight Yokley of King’s College took eight female students to the Pennsylvania Governor’s Conference for Women, held in Pittsburgh at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
The eight females in attendance were Seniors Nadya Alboschy, Oprah Lewis, Carolyn Hovey, Larisa Karpeshov, and Dalia Matos along with Junior Elizabeth McCann and Sophomores Julie Hughes and Megyn Furner. The application process to attend the conference was very competitive and these lucky eight made it through.
“I was really interested in the conference because I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to network with other women and get great information on issues that affect women today,” says Alboschy.
Dr. Field says that over 5,000 women were in attendance. Keynote speeches were made by acclaimed women, including Judge Marjorie O. Rendell, first lady of PA, and Naomi Tutu, an advocate for peace and human rights, who grew up in apartheid South Africa (daughter of Desmond Tutu). Another celebrated speaker was Nancy Brinker, former ambassador to Hungary and founder of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure (in honor of her sister, who died of breast cancer in 1980).
After the speeches, students were able to attend panel sessions on topics such as Guiding the Next Generation of Future Leaders; Networking: Making Relationships Click;
Forget Balance: Discover Your Best Stress Zone; Kicking Your Career into Gear: An Action Plan for Creating a Work life that Thrills; It’s Your Money, So Take It Personally, Women’s Health, Sexuality, and Wellness and Before You Start a Business.
“I enjoyed the "Asking For It: How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation To Get What They Really Want by Linda Babcock who taught us how important it is for women to negotiate in any situation,” says Lewis. “She also taught us that it starts from when women are little and that most women are intimidated by negotiation while men see it as a winning a game. I enjoyed this the most because it prepared me as a senior to go into the real world with a mindset that I should ask for what I want with negotiation.”
After the panel sessions, the students had lunch and the closing keynote session was a discussion on women’s health issues with Bob Harper, a fitness specialist who appeared on NBC’s The Biggest Loser. There was also an exhibition hall that held booths with information and products for women.
“The students were able to network with female professionals and learn about Pennsylvania’s services for women,” says Field.
The trip was sponsored by the Women’s Studies Program, the Shoval Center, the Honors Program, the Public Policy Institute, the Office of Career Planning, the Department of Mass Communications, Student Affairs, and Academic Affairs.
“Gender is an important area of diversity to focus on and one in which all majors should have a basic knowledge and understanding of,” says Alboschy. “Women are making great strides in this day and age and what we are accomplishing should be shared.”
Senior also agrees with Alboschy on the importance if gender awareness. She believes that Women’s Studies are beneficial to all majors because it allows anyone to understand the world through a woman’s eyes.
“Men would gain an understanding of how to respect women more since they also have a mother. They need to understand the challenges that women go through in their lifetime so that they do not take it for granted,” says Lewis. “No matter what major you have you can learn something from women.” |
