Conference Examines Issues Facing Women

The definition of feminism and the challenges faced by women in politics are just two of the issues that a group of 41 undergraduate women are discussing during the eighth annual Harvard-Radcliffe Women's Leadership Conference, which concludes today.

"We've had some really good discussions," said Lauren E. Young '96, a veteran member of the Women's Leadership Project (WLP) executive board. "I think this year the participants feel really comfortable talking about some of the issues that come up during the year which they don't have the opportunity or forum to discuss elsewhere."

The six-day conference, sponsored by the Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges and the Institute of Politics, brings together students and successful women from the fields of business, media, politics and public service for a series of panel discussions and hands-on workships.

Some of the dozens of guest speakers at this year's conference included Susan Zirinsky, senior producer at CBS News: Jolene Unsoeld, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives; Faith Adiele, coordinator of Education for Action; and Margaret H. Marshall, Harvard's vice president and general counsel.

"We want women who've had some success and have had interesting lives," said Mellisa G. Liazos '96, a member of the executive board.

"These are talented women who have accomplished a lot," Marshall said in an interview yesterday. "Listening to their reflections cuts down the amount of reinventing the wheel that you have to do."

In her third year addressing the conference, Marshall offered some of the insights she has gained during her years as an attorney in private practice and for the University.

"It was some personal reflections, I hope with a little bit of humor, about things that I might liked to have known...in my early 20s," Marshall said.

In particular, she discussed reaching out to mentors, looking for creative ways to balance work and family, taking risks and developing connections with other women.

It's important "to recognize how helpful other women can be, including colleagues and also people who may not be working directly with you," she said.

Students also participated in several workshops, including one on images of women, one on self-defense and one on race and gender. The executive board decided to cut out some of the panels from last year in order to put more emphasis on the teaching sessions.

"Students had expressed interest...in more interactive settings," Young said.

The women in science and multiculturalism workshops were among those cut from last year. Young said she and other board members have tried to incorporate those subjects into other areas of the conference, which began on Friday.

"Sometimes it's better to address some of the multicultural issues within the framework of the [other] panels," Young said.

As a result of suggestions from participants, the executive board is considering holding monthly sessions to follow up on the topics discussed during the last week.

Applications for next year's conference will be accepted from first-years, sophomores and juniors in the spring