Women across Missouri attended the 21st Leadership Academy.

UMKC women attend 21st Leadership Academy

By: Megan Henderson

Posted: 6/2/08

Four women from UMKC were selected to attend the 21st Leadership Academy, a program put on by the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life (SSIWPL).

The four women from UMKC included Jumoke Balogun, senior, communication studies; Tara Kloeppel, senior, English; Sarah Linneman, junior, environmental studies and political science; and LaDonna McCullough, junior, communication studies and political science.

In all, 36 women from universities in Missouri were selected to attend the program, which ran from May 18-23 at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The women participated in workshops and hands-on programs, according to a SSIWPL press release, led by women role models to teach the importance of women participating in public policy.

Balogun enjoyed a session led by working mothers.

"The event with the three working women was really powerful," Balogun said. "They spoke the truth about was it was like to work and have a family. … I personally believe that women shouldn't do it all at the same time. There is no fulfillment in juggling so many things and not having time for yourself."

Linneman enjoyed a dinner honoring Judge Paticia Breckenridge, the third woman to sit on the current Missouri Supreme Court, as the event's keynote speaker.

"We also had lunch at the governor's mansion with many prominent women and met Missouri Supreme Court Judge [Mary] Russell and Robin Carnahan, Secretary of State," Linneman said. "My favorite event was the keynote dinner when Judge Breckenridge was being honored. It was a formal dinner with over a hundred guests where we were encouraged to network and meet some very successful women."

Both Linneman and Balogun were impressed with the women they met at the academy.

"The best part of the whole week was just spending time with the other fellows [women from all the different colleges] who are some of the most amazing women I have ever met," Linneman said.

Balogun agreed, though she would have liked a focus on careers beyond the US.

"I met many women who inspired me to be better and more active," she said. "However, as I am more internationally focused, I would have loved to see more women working at the international scene. The conference was very regional."

Linneman and Balogun both would recommend the program for other women at UMKC.

"There was such a wide range of student types, it really is an interesting experience," Linneman said. " … This experience is valuable to every woman regardless of what they are studying. It opens a lot of doors and provides women with a network that will help them be successful in whatever they choose to do."

The SSIWPL press release outlined the leadership achievements of each of the four UMKC women. Balogun is president of Model United Nations and Model Arab League. Linneman is vice-president of Model United Nations and will study abroad in South Korea in the fall. Kloeppel served as executive vice-president for the Student Government Association (SGA). McCullough served as a senator and as president pro tempore for SGA.

For more information about SSIWPL, visit www.umsl.edu/~iwpl.

mhenderson@unews.com