‘She Leads’ symposium to focus on empowering women leaders

The Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Fellowship for Women in Graduate Study at Washington University in St. Louis will host the 2022 “She Leads Symposium @ WashU” at 1 p.m. Oct. 21 in Knight Hall’s Emerson Auditorium.

This is the 48th annual Olin Fellowship event and continues the tradition of curating a forum that enables and empowers women to lead in the 21st century.

The half-day event will feature speakers and panelists from WashU and the St. Louis community who are experts in their fields. The event also will focus on how women leaders influence and inspire in today’s new world while addressing four key “She Leads” areas: career, impact, well-being and wealth.

Michelle DeLair, director of curricular innovation in Arts & Sciences, will give opening remarks. DeLair is an alumna of the Olin Fellowship.

Several university leaders are involved in the event, including Provost Beverly Wendland; Shantay Bolton, executive vice chancellor and chief administrative officer; Kia Caldwell, vice provost for faculty affairs and diversity; and Jennifer Smith, vice provost for educational initiatives. Faculty members Amy Eyler, professor of public health at the Brown School, and Shanti Parikh, professor of anthropology in Arts & Sciences, also will take part.

Boggs

Paula Boggs will deliver the inaugural Karl King Hoagland Jr. keynote for the symposium. A U.S. Army veteran, she is the founder of Boggs Media, which includes her speaking and creative business activities. Boggs served as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary at Starbucks Corp. from 2002 to 2012. Prior to that, Boggs worked in public service, as an assistant U.S. attorney, an attorney for the U.S. Army and in other roles.

Boggs is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law and Johns Hopkins University. She previously served as an adjunct professor at the University of Washington School of Law.

In addition to the keynote, the event will feature panel discussions; a dance performance by Kendra Key, an Olin Fellow and master’s student studying dance in Arts & Sciences; presentations by several Olin Fellows on their research in an adapted 3MT® (Three Minute Thesis) competition; and the Olin Fellowship Awards presentation.

A reception will follow in Knight Hall’s Frick Forum.

Registration for in-person attendance is open to the public, but seating is limited. Participants are invited to register to attend virtually as well. For more information, visit sheleads.wustl.edu.