TIGER TV ONLINE REPORTER
Friday, LSU’s women center will host its annual inaugural conference for women where issues such as career building and community will be discussed.
“This conference will provide participants with the inspiration, information, connections and motivation they will need to write the next chapter in their lives,” said Catherine Hopkins, director of the LSU Women’s Center and conference co-chair in a press release.
Every year the conference has guest speakers come to speak and meet the girls. This year’s speakers include Governor Kathleen Blanco and Rod West, the CEO of Entergy New Orleans. Kim Shepard, senior vice president for CIGNA healthcare, Toni McGee Causey, national best-selling author, Katrice Albert, LSU’s vice provost for Equity, Diversity & Community Outreach; and Donna Torres, associate vice chancellor for Accounting and Financial Services.
“We felt Kathleen Blanco was a great fit for the conference because she was the first female governor of Louisiana,” Hopkins said.
The speakers are booked around six to eight months in advance by the National Diversity Council.
Hopkins said the conference is a great way for women to work towards achieving their goals whether those goals are moving up in the career world or playing at active role in their community.
“Whether their goal is to build a professional network, impact their community, achieve work-life balance, advance their career or improve their health, Louisiana State University is committed to assisting these women in achieving their goals,” Hopkins said.
Anyone can attend the event. Hopkins said there are students and faculty from universities all around the state attending including Tulane, Nichols, ULL and of course LSU. There is also a mix of state government employees and corporate representatives coming to network with the participants.
The conference will focus on three main subjects this year; entrepreneurship, professional development and community. Participants will go to twelve different sessions each falling under one of the three subjects including “climbing the corporate ladder,” and “winning the financial derby.”
“This conference is important because women need to learn about the workplace,” Hopkins said. “There are an equal amount of men and women graduating from college but 95 percent of CEOs and board of directors are men. Why is that? We want successful women to pass on their knowledge about the workforce and being successful leaders to women just starting out in the workforce.”
