UDC Women Enjoy a Retreat for Faculty Women of Color at Virginia Tech

Dean Massey, Dr. Sandra Jowers-Barber, and five early career faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences attended the 7th Annual Faculty Women of Color in the Academy Conference at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg April 11-12.  The Conference theme, Connect. Support. Empower, presented more than 20 sessions focused on alliance building, brand development, skill refinement, health, wellness, and mindful career decision making.  More the 315 participants traveled from across the contiguous United States, Puerto Rico, and British Columbia.  The UDC contingent is pictured with international scholar, pastor, teacher, activist Nontombi Naomi Tutu, the third child of Bishop Desmond Tutu, following her rousing, liberating, and thought provoking opening keynote presentation on race, gender, national origin, and place, and their intersections and implications for the outcomes of women of color in the Academy.

Pictured with Dr. Tutu, Dean Massey and Dr. Jowers are Dr. LaKeisha Johnson, Dr. Sulare Telford, Prof. Myesha Carter, Prof. Ayanna Kelley, and Prof. Whitney Harris