Extensions, Fall 2004, N.E.W. Leadership

Fall 2004

For the Record

National Education for Women's Leadership - Oklahoma

The award-winning National Education for Women's Leadership program (N.E.W. Leadership) educates and empowers young women to particpate actively in politics and public policy making. The five-day residential program is funded through contributions from firms, foundations, and Oklahoma citizens who support the goals of the program. The class of 2004 was composed of 33 undergraduate women from 14 different colleges and universities, and they ranged in age from 17 to 50.

Class of 2004

Front Row, left to right: Amanda Johnson, Sarah Lamb, Shai Rasmussen, Anita Russell, Teri Spain, Geri Stockton, Cheryl Casey, Mara Jones. Second Row: Kate Thrift, Brigid DeCoursey, Jen Henson, Brigette Workman, Lainey Hefner, Erin Means, Almarie Caldwell. Third Row: Amber Maylen, Brooke Wilson. Fourth Row: Candace Arnold, Jennifer Davies, Jessica Hughes, Courtney Acevedo, Jennifer Wynn, Annie Atkinson, Lucy Lazos. Fifth Row: Mawerdi Hamid, Jerica Flemmons, Jennifer Garrison. Sixth Row: Elizabeth Frame, N.E.W. Leadership Director Cindy Simon Rosenthal, Rebekah Hancock, Mary Kay Salchert, Michelle Franklin, Misty Spring Foley, Diana Smith. Back Row: N.E.W. Leadership Coordinator Jean Warner, Faculty-in-Residence Patricia Presley, N.E.W. Leadership Intern Pat Wilson.

Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin, as well as several other state-wide elected officials and political party leaders met with the N.E.W. Leadership class at the State Capitol.	Secretary of State Susan Savage shared with the class some of her personal reflections on women and politics in Oklahoma.

A community activism panel included Sandra Rana, Majlis Shura member of the Islamic Society of Tulsa; Kay Holladay, chair, Oklahoma Interagency Coordinating Council for Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Disease; Penny Painter, executive director, Tulsa's Resonance, and Dana Tiger, Native American artist and community activist.	State Secretary of Commerce and Tourism Kathy Taylor talked with students bout transitions, change, and opportunities.

Valerie Thompson, executive director, Urban League of Greater Okahoma City, led a workshop on "Analyzing Your Leadership Effectiveness."	N.E.W. Leadership Director Cindy Simon Rosenthal, center, and the Faculty-in-Residence -- Oklahoma County Court Clerk Patricia Presley, left, and Native American rights advocate JoKay Dowell, right -- shared their perspectives on the rewards and challenges of public leadership.

Scavenger Hunt – In small groups, the students worked to gather current and historical information related to women in politics. Teams fanned out across campus to locate the information and contacts needed to answer the challenge. Each team produced a short video tape to document their hunt. The entire class gathered in the evening to watch the videos together.	N.E.W. Leadership 2005 will convene May 20-24. Learn more about the program by visiting the website: http://www.ou.edu/special/albertctr/NLO.