Women Succeeding a hot ticket in Boulder

Marcy Benson delivers a keynote speech at CU Women Succeeding. (Photo: Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)

Dozens listen to Tanya Kelly-Bowry. (Photo: Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)

Cynthia Husek talks ethics. (Photo: Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)

Alison M. Jaggar speaks. (Photo: Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)

President Benson greets symposium attendees. (Photo: Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)

More than 300 faculty and staff from across the University of Colorado system took part in last week’s CU Women Succeeding, the 10th annual professional development symposium presented at CU-Boulder’s University Memorial Center by the CU Faculty Council Women’s Committee.

Participants chose from more than 20 workshop sessions offered on Friday afternoon, the main event that followed an evening of networking on Thursday. The entire group filled the Glenn Miller Ballroom to hear two keynote addresses: Marcy Benson, who chairs the Creating Futures fundraising campaign with her husband, CU President Bruce D. Benson, spoke in the morning; Alison M. Jaggar, Professor of Distinction in philosophy and women and gender studies at CU-Boulder, gave the afternoon speech and also received the 2012 Elizabeth D. Gee Memorial Lectureship Award.

In between, sessions offered learning and discussion on topics ranging from negotiation and politics to workplace bullying and stress relief techniques.

After an introduction from President Benson, Marcy Benson relayed anecdotes from a 19-year career in Washington, D.C., and more recent civic engagement in Colorado, from extensive work with Children’s Hospital Colorado to her current honorary chairing of Be Colorado, the health and wellness initiative for CU employees. Read more about her speech here.

The Gee Award presented to Jaggar honors an outstanding faculty member for efforts to advance women in academia, interdisciplinary scholarly contributions and distinguished teaching. Jaggar talked about her work as central investigator in “Fempov,” an international research project aimed at establishing a new poverty standard or metric capable of revealing gender-specific aspects of global poverty. She also talked about her own journey from growing up in England to becoming a respected mentor at CU-Boulder.

“Hard work counts, but also good luck,” she said. “I’ve had good health and health care, my university education in England was paid for by the state, I’ve had a good partner and good timing in my career.”

Other symposium highlights:

• Peg Bacon, University of Colorado Colorado Springs provost who is retiring this summer, was presented with flowers and recognized by Kathleen Bollard, vice president for academic affairs. “Thank you for all you’ve done to create community at the university,” Bollard said.
• Regent Irene Griego attended part of the symposium, including a session presented by Tanya Kelly-Bowry, vice president for state and federal government relations, and Dorothy Rupert, former Colorado state senator and representative. Rupert was a mentor of Kelly-Bowry’s when she began her career. Rupert told the audience, “I encourage you to go with the gut, listen to yourselves. Believe what you’re seeing and feeling. Be true to your core.”
• Cynthia Husek, assistant dean for finance and operations in the College of Arts and Sciences at CU-boulder, presented “A Field Guide to Everyday Ethics.” She provided tips on avoiding traps that can lead to unethical behavior and stressed the need to talk through dilemmas encountered in the workplace.
• CU-Boulder faculty members Karen Auvinen, Giulia Bernardini and Beth Stade outlined ways of using art, math and poetry to boost learning beyond those disciplines. Such exercises inspire conversation among students, which transforms the classroom into “an incubator for ideas,” Auvinen said.