[130] MTSU to host 2014 Women in Higher Education in Tennessee conference

MURFREESBORO — Networking, brainstorming and the presentation of awards will be just some of the facets of this year’s Women in Higher Education in Tennessee (WHET) conference at MTSU.

“College Completion: Women in Higher Education Moving the Needle” is the theme of the 34^th annual gathering, which is slated for Oct. 9-10 in the Student Union.

Dr. MaryLou Apple, president of Motlow State Community College and presidential adviser to WHET, will lead a panel discussion titled “Leadership and College Completion” from 3 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9.

Dr. Idahlynn Karre, a consultant with a distinguished career of 42 years as a professor and administrator, will deliver the keynote address, titled “Leading through Strengths,” at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 10.

Karre is a member of the facilitation team for the Mesa, Arizona-based Chair Academy, an organization that provides talent management and leadership development programs for post-secondary educational institutions. She was a faculty member at the University of Northern Colorado for 32 years.

Karre will lead the closing conversation, titled “A Unique Opportunity: The Best of You!”, from 3 to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10.

During the conference, WHET will present its Woman of Achievement Awards to leaders in higher education.

Any female student, faculty, staff or alumna of an institution of higher education in Tennessee may nominate women for the honor in two categories — Student and Faculty/Administrative and Community or Business Leader.

In addition, the organization will present the June Anderson Award to a woman who has:

• Demonstrated leadership in WHET;
• Developed curricula that enhance understanding of the role women play in various disciplines;
• Mentored other women;
• Demonstrated leadership on campus that directly brought more women into leadership positions;
• Demonstrated advocacy for women in the community;
• Supported women in becoming better qualified to advance in higher education professions;
• Demonstrated influence that impacts opportunities for women beyond the bounds of Tennessee.

A Tipton County, Tennessee native, June Anderson joined the MTSU chemistry faculty in 1958 and taught for 25 years. During that time, she founded an academic support service for women and championed pay equity, child care centers and proper campus lighting. MTSU’s center for women and nontraditional students bears Anderson’s name.

Each conference participant will receive an access code and instructions on taking the StrengthsFinder assessment from Gallup Inc. online. The assessment will help participants to learn more about their strengths and how to utilize this information to achieve personal and professional growth and inspire the same in others.

Conference fees are $80 for current WHET members, $100 for nonmembers and $20 for full-time graduate students. Membership dues are $50 per year for professionals and $20 per year for full-time students.

Register online at http://whettn.org or by mailing a copy of the registration form with payment to La Kiesha Armstrong, WHET Treasurer, Belmont University, Office of the Registrar, 1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212.

For more information, contact Connie Huddleston, coordinator for the MTSU College of Liberal Arts, at 615-494-7628 or connie.huddleston@mtsu.edu.