The second annual Women in Educational Leadership Symposium will be held in the Reich College of Education building starting Friday.

Two associate professors at Appalachian started the conference, which will be attended by people from all over the country who are either in leadership positions or aspire to be.

“We are not looking at your positions or anything, we are looking at the community of women,” Precious Mudiwa, associate professor of leadership and education studies, said. “We want to develop a community of women who can come together and learn, share and inspire others.”

Mudiwa said it is challenging to be a woman in the professional world and she hopes that all the women attending their conference can work together to sharpen their leadership skills.

Roma Angel, a professor of leadership and education studies, said their keynotes are given by women who have worked hard to get where they are.

“Every woman has a story of leadership and about her life,” Angel said. “The speakers we have had in the past and that we have this year certainly have very moving, special stories to each and every one of them about how they got to this work and how they’ve persevered through it and what keeps them committed to it.”

One of the keynote speakers is the Dean of Appalachian’s Reich College of Education, Melba Spooner.

“I don’t think about that I am a woman, I think about that I’m the dean of this college and I am a leader in this profession,” Spooner said. “I really focus on that because that’s what is important, and being who I am as a leader.”

Other than keynote speakers, the conference has different types of sessions. There are research papers, critical conversations about issues, “How To” presentations and even an art project where the women all make part of a quilt to symbolize women working together to accomplish a task.

Story by; Anna Dollar, Intern News Reporter