DAWN Leadership Summit 2023

​Valdese West, assistant policy scientist at the University of Delaware Institute for Public Administration (IPA), and Latoya Watson, assistant dean of co-curricular coaching in the College of Arts and Sciences, led presentations at the Delaware ACE Women's Network (DAWN) Leadership Summit on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. More than 100 women gathered together to learn from, network with and celebrate women in higher education. DAWN is the Delaware chapter of the American Council of Education (ACE) Women Network and seeks to promote women’s leadership roles in higher education. Kathy Murphy, IPA associate director, Joy Jordan, IPA assistant policy scientist, and West all serve on the DAWN Executive Committee and helped to plan the event. During the summit, West and Watson both led enriching breakout sessions for attendees. West facilitated a presentation titled “Discover Happiness,” where she discussed the importance of focusing your energy on how to grow and glow regardless of one’s circumstance. This session served as a catalyst that promoted self-confidence and taught how to embrace the positivity of life. Watson led a session titled “Equity Mindedness in Higher Education,” where she focused on the importance of an equity-minded cognitive frame. In this session, participants had the chance to learn about the equity-minded framework, while also being engaged through reflection questions to consider equity-minded practices in their own work. Professional women representing every institute of higher education in the state of Delaware attended the summit, hosted on the Goldey-Beacom College campus. Eighteen faculty and professional staff from the University of Delaware participated in the event. The Institute for Public Administration is a research and public service center in the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration.​

Article by Sophonie Milord. Originally posted in UDaily's For the Record​.​