On Thursday, April 9, the Women in Leadership club hosted its annual forum. The forum was open to all students, allowing them to hear from local women about their experience in leadership roles.
The forum opened with a performance by Bella Voce of “Where the Light Begins” and centered on four speakers: Pocket Books co-owner Austin Carter, Franklin & Marshall College registrar Laura Medvic, Nikki’s Custard owner Nicole Dannehl and Senior IT Specialist Laura Miller, who works for the federal government. Each speaker discussed their personal career paths and offered unique insight on modern feminism.
“When selecting speakers, I look for women who have succeeded in their careers and are willing to openly share their challenges, struggles and growth,” forum head Júlia Ramos said. “It’s important that they are not only accomplished but also honest, genuine and able to connect with students in an encouraging and inspiring way.”
Many of the questions at the forum revolved around the various ways misogyny appears in today’s society and how it can be overcome. The panelists discussed the challenges they face in their careers that arise as a result of the patriarchy and gave advice on how to calmly yet effectively combat those challenges. A common theme was the constant need to assert themselves in encounters with people who doubt their qualifications. Dannehl stressed the importance of handling these encounters calmly and patiently.
“Feminism is about patience, respect, calm and joy,” she said, explaining how her business focuses on empathy and understanding of both the employees and customers.
Another topic was the more subtle manifestations of misogyny. Miller emphasized that it isn’t just men who limit women from reaching their full potential—the constant competition among women only divides them further. This competition stems from the historical lack of opportunities for women in power, but now that there are more of these opportunities, she believes it isn’t as necessary. Miller also mentioned that there are government policies in place that prevent real equality, such as a lack of support for childcare and women’s healthcare.
Despite the countless challenges women face, the speakers reflected on the joys that come with being female. For Carter, these joys include the sense of community among women. She explained that misogyny has forced women to rely on each other and work together to make progress, and credited the resilience of women in her life for her own confidence. Dannehl’s answer was similar: she admires the “common thread of perseverance” that unites women across history. Each speaker also cited a specific woman as someone who’s inspired them personally and professionally. For Medvic, her mother-in-law, who didn’t graduate college but ensured her children did, was a big inspiration. For Miller, it was her daughter, as well as every woman who has experienced and learned from the challenges of the workforce.
Throughout the forum, the panelists gave girls in the audience advice on how to succeed in spite of the patriarchy. They encouraged the audience not to underestimate themselves, but to pursue the things they enjoy and pay attention to other people’s input. One of their main points was that women need to speak out and take up space in the workforce, creating new opportunities for themselves rather than just accepting the opportunities they are given. In Carter’s words, “There’s only one place at the table if you play by the rules of the person who built the table.”
Club supervisor Michelle Luther finds the enthusiasm of attendees fulfilling.
“Seeing them engage with the speakers, ask thoughtful questions and recognize their own potential in those stories is incredibly rewarding,” she said. “It’s one thing to talk about leadership in theory, but this forum allows students to see it embodied in real people from their own community.”
Aside from the forum, the Women in Leadership club raises money for a scholarship through a yearly clothing sale. If you would like to contribute to the cause, consider buying from the club’s iconic merchandise selection when it becomes available.
