PI Editor in Chief Sophia Nelson to speak at Washington & Lee University Legacy Conference
Legacy Black Student Leadership Conference
Powerful Beyond Measure: Student Leaders Leaving a Legacy
January 29, 2010 - January 30, 2010
Contact: Dean Tammy Futrell
Washington and Lee University is hosting this year’s Legacy Black Student Leadership Conference on Jan. 29-30. The theme is “Powerful Beyond Measure: Student Leaders Leaving a Legacy.”
The conference is a collaboration of five small, private, selective, predominantly white institutions in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
They annually bring black students together to share and learn from common experiences; to encourage full participation in the broader college experience; to learn strategies for overcoming obstacles; and to engage in culturally affirming social activities.
Member institutions are Davidson College, Furman University, Presbyterian College, Washington and Lee University and Wofford College.
Conference check-in beginning at 3 p.m. Friday with Opening Banquet at 6 p.m. on Friday. The Opening Session is Saturday at 8:30 a.m.
The keynote speaker is Sophia A. Nelson, the founder and Chairman of the Board of iask, Inc. (formerly I Am My Sister’s Keeper), an organization dedication to the relational, emotional, spiritual, career and health of professional black women. She is a regular contributor to Huffington Post, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Politico, CNN, and NPR, among others.
Topics of sessions include The Origins of Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities and the Recruitment Process; Strategies for Addressing Racism on Campus; and Missing in Action: Black Professors, Cultural Centers and Cultural Courses. The conference includes panels during the sessions.
Conference facilitators are Christina K. Brogdon, professional in human resources at Bluefield College; Dr. Rodney Cohen, director of multicultural affairs at Presbyterian College; Dr. Nancy Fairley, professor of anthropology at Davidson College; Tammy Futrell, associate dean of students at W&L; Rev. Ernest Jeffries, assistant dean of students at Davidson; and Dr. Idella Glenn, director of multicultural affairs at Furman University, among others.
For more information see legacyleadershipconference.com

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