Speakers aid students’ road to life, professional success
by Amanda Gruidl and Victoria Salazar

The Women’s Symposium on South Campus offered students sessions relating to the themes Rising to the Occasion and Women on the Move.

Dr. Lynda Effertz, a former WINR student, spoke about Beauty, Ageism and Body Image.

“ Surrounding oneself with beauty is one choice everyone has,” she said.

Effertz said people feel beautiful by the choices they make, whether personal or professional.

“ You have choices no matter what,” she said.

Effertz’s advice on the key to staying young is not to be bitter because bitterness causes stress.

“ Stress ages the body and the mind,” she said.

Learning to relieve stress is also a key to staying young, Effertz said. Most people do not realize how much longer a sigh can keep them younger, she said.

Nadine Felix, director of the Arlington Convention Center, presented Challenging Career and Workplace Myths.

Felix discussed 12 myths most women believe or used to believe about the workplace.

“ Women and men alike believed that a woman’s place is in the home not in the workplace. However, two out of three workers entering the labor force between 1990 and 2005 will be a woman,” she said.

A woman should do what she enjoys doing even if it is a non-traditional female job, Felix said. Parents should encourage their children to do what they are good at and what they enjoy.

“ Non-traditional jobs are less physically demanding than housework,” she said.

Felix quoted Maya Angelo to summarize her presentation about women in the workplace: “Making a living is not the same as making a life.”

Dr. Alicia Lupinacci, NW professor of management and marketing, talked of New Challenges for Families in the 21st Century.

Lupinacci told her audience to reflect on their external and internal worlds and to make time for themselves and their families.

“ Sometimes people have high expectations of you—husbands, children, etc.—and they just have to learn to rise to the occasion,” she said.

According to Lupinacci, there are two types of people: spotlights or shadows. Spotlights are reactive to situations and tend to make a difference versus those who tend to be more proactive and like to watch the world change, thus the name shadow.

Lupinacci shared advice of Dr. Joyce Brothers: women should find the good in their families.

“ Today, all families are dysfunctional in some ways,” she said.

She also advised women to lower their expectations because if they set their goals too high, they are only setting themselves up for failure.

“ Also, identify the positive in your life and reach out to others, but make time work for you—all the while building memories,” she said.

Expressing affection, according to Lupinacci, lets others know that someone cares and it gives a person a positive self-worth.

These elements can be achieved, Lupinacci said, by prioritizing, focusing and learning to be patient and flexible.

“ But you need to be willing to go the extra mile and know when to say no,” she said.

Lupinacci also stressed the value of humor.

“ Lighten up and have some humor. We all need to laugh at ourselves once in a while,” she said.

Lt. Grady Patterson, SE crime victims coordinator, conducted Sexual Assault/Rape Awareness.

Sexual assault, he said, is one of the most violent and least reported crimes in the United States. It is an act of power and control rather than lust, and the underlying motivation or drive in sexual assault is anger or power or both, Patterson said.

“ Most convicted rapists commit rape again within three weeks of their release,” he said.

Patterson told his audience complaints about rape should be taken seriously. As potential victims, women (and men too) should be aware of their surroundings at all times, walk with confidence and stick to well-lit areas. He advised students to use the campus police if necessary.

“ Campus rape will stop only when young women want it to stop,” he said.

While rape is the most underreported crime in America, Patterson said, only 5 percent of reported rapes actually involve a weapon and 9 percent involve hitting or beating. Patterson reminded the women that forced sex is rape and advised them not to accept excuses and to remember that rape is never the victim’s fault.

“ From being in law enforcement 24 years, I know that [rape] is the most devastating experience a woman will go through,” he said.

If such an incident were to occur, Patterson said women should get to a safe place and get help immediately. It is best to ask a trusted friend or family member to stay with them and report the assault immediately.

Patterson also stressed the importance of preserving evidence by not showering, eating, drinking, changing clothes, brushing teeth, etc.

“ Write down as many details as you can recall and save the clothing you were wearing at the time of the assault,” he said. “And do not straighten up the area where the assault occurred.”

Last Updated: 4/14/2004
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