East Carolinian

Issue date: 10/23/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: staff photo

Leaders during and before our time have shaped the lives around them. From politics to human rights, people have stepped up to the challenge of leadership in order to make a change.

Men and women both assume the responsibilities of leaders. However, women can often be overlooked and underappreciated when it comes to the business and professional world.

The Center for Student Leadership and Civic Engagement is giving the opportunity for women to gain vital leadership skills through a Women in Leadership Conference (WILD). Held on the campus of Duke University, the conference aims to bring together women leaders from colleges across North Carolina on Nov. 1.

With a specific gearing toward women, the conference is set to explore not only the challenges that leadership may present, but will assist in training women to discover and use their leadership traits to the best of their ability.

" Possessing the perfect combination of leadership training, skill sets and experiences can lead you to accomplish anything," said Krista Wilhelm, the assistant director for the Center of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement. "In effort to provide diverse leadership opportunities to women student leaders on our campus, we are very excited to be attending to the WILD Conference."

"It is my hope that those attending will gain and enhance their leadership skills, be able to address challenge that are faced by women within leadership roles and recognize the unique common bond that we share as women."

According to the Center for Women's Business Research, around 10.6 million firms are at least 50% owned by a woman or a team of women, along with 48% of all privately held firms.

Even around the world, women are finding their place in leadership roles that can shape decisions made around them. According to the Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership, 17% of members in national parliaments worldwide are women, with Russia possessing the highest proportion of women parliamentarians in the world with a National Assembly comprised of 48.8% women.

Interestingly enough, developing countries, including Mozambique, Vietnam and Namibia, have just under 40% of seats in the lower house of Parliament held by women. In developed countries, including the US, women assume less than 20% of seats.

"I think it is important that women develop valuable leadership skills necessary to succeed in today's world," said Brooke Barton, a student leadership assistant for the center. "In today's competitive market, women need have strong leadership skills and we hope this conference will help to develop their skills and allow them the opportunity to meet other women leaders from ECU and other colleges in North Carolina."

For more information on the WILD conference or general information about leadership opporitunities for all students, contact the Center of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement at (252) 737-2091.

This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com

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