In the basement of McDonel Hall, graduate student Angie Allen sat with a group of undergraduates, laughing and discussing what it's like to be a woman on campus as part of the Women's Leadership Conference and Banquet Sunday.
"I'm taking away how connected we are," Allen said, explaining what she learned during the four-hour event. "To come together for something like this is awesome."
About 85 students, faculty and staff attended the event, which highlighted and celebrated different issues related to women, such as leadership, problem-solving and relationships.
The program was sponsored by several departments, including the Department of Residence Life, Student Life and the Women's Resource Center, and reflected the theme "Women Inspiring Hope & Possibility."
"It's a big collaborative effort that's great for us and for the women on campus," said Kelly High McCord, who was a member of the planning committee for the event. "We hope that it catches on and that it grows into a larger event."
The Women's Leadership Banquet has been held since the early 1990s, and Sunday was the first time the event included a conference. In previous years, the event had consisted of just the banquet and a keynote speaker.
"It's really expanded," McCord said. "We're able to explore so many topics now, rather than just hearing what a keynote speaker has to say."
Throughout the afternoon, participants sat in on different lectures and discussions focusing on everything from women's safety abroad to making the transition between college student and career professional. More than 12 programs were available for the two sessions.
Letitia Fowler, a College of Osteopathic Medicine staff member, led a discussion with a group of about a dozen people on the theme "Nurturing the Leader Within: It Begins With You." Fowler used her own personal experiences to relate what she called the "seven virtues" of leadership, including integrity, self-management and being true to oneself.
"I was really excited about this opportunity," she said at the beginning of the session. "There's something to be said when you're a leader in any arena."
Fowler said events such as the conference have an important value, especially within a campus community.
"As women, the playing field isn't level yet," she said. "This is the breeding ground here that gets women starting to think, 'I can be a leader.'
"It definitely starts now."
After the program sessions, a banquet featuring a keynote address allowed participants to gather and reflect on the day's theme. Some of the people who attended the conference said they enjoyed a chance to network and learn about resources available on campus.
"MSU is so big, and that first year, they throw so much stuff at you," Allen said. "This personalizes all the things the university offers."
