ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ Dean Speaks at Inaugural Women’s Cultural Communication Summit
- May 29, 2015
Dean Carolyn Nelson of the College of Education and Allied Studies at ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ was among seven panelists invited to share their life stories at the first annual Women’s Cultural Communication Summit held at Tennyson High School on April 29.
The summit was made possible through a contribution that ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥ received last year as a part of the AT&T Aspire High School Success Request for Proposal. The RFP is part of AT&T Aspire, the company’s signature education initiative, through which it has committed $350 million to support education. AT&T Aspire was designed to help students graduate from high school prepared for college and the workplace. CSUEB was one of 30 organizations selected to receive funding out of more than 1,100 schools, school districts and nonprofits that applied nationwide.
CSUEB has used its funding to partner with and hire two dropout prevention specialists to improve graduation rates at local Hayward and Tennyson high schools. As part of his work as Tennyson’s dropout specialist, Anthony Jackson organized the Women’s Cultural Communication Summit and selected 20 female students from Tennyson as “Ladies of Leadership” to participate in it. “I chose to have this event focus on women because you are often overlooked in society and have your own unique pressures in terms of body image, careers and relationships,” Jackson said at the summit.
During the panel discussion, Nelson and other noteworthy women in the Hayward area addressed the Tennyson students in an open dialogue, creating a conversation on topics such as social media self-portrayal, communication in relationships and goal setting. Each panelist shared her personal journey, starting with her teenage years and continuing through present day. Facilitated by Marguerite Hinrichs, CSUEB’s Director of Student Life and Leadership, the panel included Hayward City Council member Elisa Marquez, Hayward Assistant City Manager Kelly McAdoo, Chabot College Grant Coordinator Marie Amboy, Hayward Promise Neighborhood Communications Manager Lauren Pitcher, and Hayward Unified School District Communications Coordinator Sabrina Aranda.
“It was an honor to be included on a panel of such distinguished women filled with unique wisdom and experiences to share with the next generation,” Nelson said. “Each woman’s personal story inspired me and it was reflection of the importance of finding our voice as women.”