Women's Leadership Conference offers inspiration

by Katie Luscombe

As the hate on the white women's faces attest, member of the Little Rock Nine who integrated Little Rock HIgh School in Arkansas literally risked their lives to do so. Dr.Carlotta Walls LaNier, a member of the Little Rock Nine, was keynote speaker at the conference.

The 4th annual Women’s Leadership Conference brought together 300 future leaders who had the chance to network, learn and become inspired. Hosted by the Women’s Initiative for Leadership Development (WILD), the conference focused on this year’s theme, “Women by Chance, Leaders by Choice.”

“It’s just great to see it sell out and have everyone talking about leadership,” said Joanna Lankerd Frye, a conference co-advisor. “We really hope they walk away with feelings of empowerment, some skills and some networking.”

Throughout the six-hour day, participants could attend as many as three 50-minute workshops of their choice, as well as speeches by international relations junior Alison Campbell and keynote speaker Dr. Carlotta Walls LaNier. LaNier is a Congressional Gold Medal winner and a member of the Little Rock Nine, the first group of African-American students to attend Little Rock Central High School in the segregated South. President Eisenhour had to dispatch federal troops to Arkansas to escort these youngsters to school in 1957, following the Supreme Court decision to integrate the school system. LaNier became a “foot soldier” for freedom, enduring physical and emotional abuse during this domestic crisis, but nevertheless graduated in 1960.  She then attended Michigan State and the University of Northern Colorado.

This year's banner was signed by speakers and participants

Campbell, who won a contest to be chosen as the student speaker, said that she saw the speech as an opportunity to reach a lot of people and focused on the ideas of having vision, overcoming obstacles, and team work as keys to success.  She is on the leadership team of the Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition, a James Madison College Senate representative, Vice President of Public Relations for Kappa Delta Sorority, and has participated in numerous environmental and human interest activities.

Ashley Kennon, an IDS junior, and Sharmaine Nathan, an economics junior, attended the conference and found a lot to learn. Of oncern is that the passage of Proposal 2, the so-called Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, could hurt what they see as a valuable resource for women at MSU. “Some girls won’t be informed,” said. Nathan. “It’s always good to have an environment where you can be comfortable.”

Though Kennon hopes to learn about more programs from the Women’s Resource Center, she was able to take some useful advice from the workshop on stress management. “We learned how to evaluate the situation and respond, not just react,” she said.  Nathan agreed and said that the workshop offered “good tools” she could use on her own.

“There’s something here for everyone,” Lankerd Frye said.  “Women who are involved, who want to become involved or have never been in a leadership position, can benefit.”

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