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| Women’s
Leadership Conference |
Jessica Sellers
Clubs | Organizations Beat
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The upcoming
Women’s Leadership Conference will bring faculty, staff and
students together in an attempt to “discover the keys that
will open the doors” to the leadership abilities of each participant.
The annual conference will take place Saturday, March 1 in W.H.
Plemmons Student Union from 12:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. The cost for
the day is $8 for students and $10 for non-students. It includes
the price of a meal and conference materials.
The registration deadline is Friday.
Junior social work major Raymona E. Estep is an active member of
the conference planning committee.
She said the purpose of having the conference is to educate and
empower women about leadership. The conference also allows women
to take advantage of the opportunities that were once not available.
“Last year’s conference made me aware of the offers in
Boone that I wasn’t aware of. I heard about the Hunger Coalition,
where I volunteered last year,” Estep said.
Junior Spanish major Somer D. Privette is also on the planning committee.
“I think it’s so hard when you come into a school to decide
your major. It’s just a good empowering day for anyone. It
has given me focus for what I want to do. It’s about finding
your place in life,” Privette said.
Junior accounting and CIS major Gayathri Vijayagopalan attended
the conference last year.
“I think women especially should attend the conference because
it is so empowering. You get the opportunity to be in the company
of people who have accomplished so much, and it makes you feel amazing
and want to do the same,” Vijayagopalan said.
Keynote speaker for the conference is Debra Gawrych, CEO and founder
of Common Boundaries. Her company promotes effective individual
and organizational leadership skills.
Other speakers include Dean of Students Susie L. Green, Director
of Multicultural Student Development Tracey Wright and many others.
At the end of the day, participants will enjoy a dinner and have
a chance to reflect on the conference. The annual Women of Influence
Awards will be awarded following the dinner.
To register for the conference, stop by the Center for Student Involvement
and Leadership or the Women’s Center. For more information,
call 262-6252. |
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| Pagan
Student Association combines campus heathens, witches |
Jessica Sellers
Clubs | Organizations Beat
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The religious
community of Appalachian State University is diversifying with the
addition of the Pagan Student Association (PSA).
The mission statement of the PSA is to bring together heathens,
pagans and witches to discuss pagan beliefs and to promote awareness
about the pagan religion to the campus of Appalachian.
The club’s purpose is to get groups of pagans together to talk
about beliefs, to learn more about paganism and to educate other
students about the religion.
Kristen H. Butler, a freshman English major, and Casey D. Robinson,
a sophomore middle grades education major, are the co-founders of
the club. Robinson said she has always seen the need for the club
at Appalachian. Butler, eager to see the group take off, took the
initiative to start the club.
Butler said there is a definite need for the group on campus. Boone,
as well as the college community, has a high population of pagan
students. Most of these students lose their connection with other
pagans and do not get a chance to practice their religion since
they are away from home.
One of the main concerns of the pagan students here is that the
sense of community among believers is weak. Religious rituals are
restricted in a residence hall setting due to rules against the
presence of incense and candles in the rooms. The club hopes to
change this rule in order to strengthen the pagan community on campus.
There is already an interest in having the club at Appalachian.
Robinson said she expects a good turnout as far as people showing
up at meetings.
“Every pagan I’ve talked to has been interested,”
Robinson said.
Although there is a high interest in the club, there has already
been opposition. Posters advertising club meetings have been removed,
and comments have been written on the posters.
Robinson said she wants to make sure people are set straight about
what they think paganism is. Most people have stereotypical feelings
towards pagans.
“We’re not here to start a rivalry. We’re not anti-Christian;
we’re not devil worshippers,” Robinson said.
The Pagan Student Association welcomes anyone interested in learning
about paganism to join the club, not just pagans. Their next meeting
is on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 6:15 pm in the Mountain Laurel Room
of W. H. Plemmons Student Union.
The group plans to participate in the Diversity Celebration, scheduled
for April 2003. They will also be doing various service projects
to help the surrounding community.
For more information, e-mail asupagan@hotmail.com.
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