A community of support for women and an equitable workspace on college campuses is vital, and members of Athena realize that.
Athena is an organization that works to facilitate networking opportunities, create a supportive community for women on campus and promote women’s access and inclusion, said Lysa Salsbury, director of the Women’s Center at the University of Idaho.
“A membership in Athena involves opportunities to work for issues that affect women on campus in terms of their professional development and personal work life balance,” Salsbury said.
By becoming a member of Athena, Salsbury said people are provided with the opportunity to attend events that are organized, including monthly socials.
Members are also invited to a program called “Conversations of Care,” a brown bag lunch that happens twice a semester, where members are able to talk about topics they’ve wanted to discuss. These lunches often include a qualified speaker to speak about the particular topic
Salsbury said the first brown bag lunch is Wednesday — the topic is work-life balance. The second brown bag lunch isn’t until November and will cover imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is the feeling that professional individuals, often women, feel when they are in positions that they secretly feel they aren’t qualified for, Salsbury said.
“The goal is really to just provide a safe and comfortable space for honest and open dialogue on these issues for women who are experiencing some of these things,” Salsbury said.
Along with the members of Athena, the organization also includes a board that was reconfigured a few years ago to have positions that have both a faculty and staff representative, said Erin Chapman, co-president of Athena.
One of the most important impacts that Athena has on the university is in its ability to connect faculty and staff.
“I think (Athena) provides an opportunity to connect to a group of women who are here, have been here, who know the lay of the land, who can help someone integrate into our university community and to also provide professional advice and mentorship to help someone progress in their career,” Salsbury said.
Scholarship and education also play a part in Athena’s role around campus, Chapman said. Members of Athena are currently working to create a scholarship endowment to award to UI students.
“In the past, Athena has had a scholarship that has been awarded to students. The organization is now trying to grow the sum of money to create an endowed scholarship,” Salsbury said.
Other members are currently planning the Women’s Leadership Conference. The conference started in 2007 and is a joint venture between Athena, the Women’s Center and Professional Development and Learning, Salsbury said. All students are invited to attend.
“Planning is going well,” Salsbury said. “We’re excited to nail down our theme and our keynote speaker within the next week or so, then we’ll be able to send out a save the date.”
In an evening reception the same night as the conference, Salsbury said someone will receive the “Athena Woman of the Year” award, which recognizes women who contribute to the university.
“We put a call out for nominations for Athena Woman of the Year,” Chapman said. “It doesn’t have to be an Athena member to win it, or to even nominate anyone.”
Savannah Cardon
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