Marlboro Well Represented At VWHE Conference

Five staff from Marlboro College Graduate and Professional Studies were chosen to present at the 2016 Women’s Leadership Conference, a two-day event sponsored by Vermont Women in Higher Education (VWHE) on March 31 and April 1. Their participation raises Marlboro’s profile as an innovator for leadership development in the state.

“With such a strong showing, Marlboro made an important contribution to the conference program, representing around 25 percent of all presenters,” said Kate Jellema, associate dean for graduate and professional studies and director of Marlboro’s Center for New Leadership (CNL). “These five participants had the opportunity to build their presentation skills, develop as thought leaders in their fields, and be recognized for their expertise.”

The Women’s Leadership Conference attracts staff and faculty from all Vermont colleges, and includes a mix of skill-building, leadership development, and networking. This year’s conference featured keynote speaker Mary Powell, president and CEO of Green Mountain Power, chosen by the Burlington Free Press as 2015 Vermonter of the Year.

The panels led by Marlboro staff included “Reconceptualizing leadership,” presented by Kathy Urffer (pictured, right), associate registrar for graduate and professional studies, and Julie Van der Horst Jansen, business manager for CNL. Beth Neher, capstone coordinator, and Kim Lier, teaching and learning specialist for CNL, gave a presentation titled “Power up your presentation skills,” and Hillary Boone, organizational development specialist for CNL, presented “Charging up higher ed with impact measurement” along with Patience Whitworth of UVM.

“Participation in this conference brings value to the college through individual leadership development and skill-building but also greater institutional visibility and cross-campus knowledge-sharing,” said Kate. “Going as a group was a powerful team-builder for the GPS staff, especially at an event such as this that is open to people across the organizational chart.”