Auburn hosting leadership workshop for women in veterinary medicine Oct. 29

Article body

Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine will host a one-day Women's Leadership Development conference for students, graduate students and faculty on Saturday, Oct. 29.

The conference is open to students and faculty from both Tuskegee and Auburn University's Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and Auburn University students enrolled in medical curriculums.

Dr. Stacy Pritt, vice president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, will provide the keynote lecture, "One Size Does Not Fit All," at 8 a.m., and will discuss leadership topics and development programs available.

"In veterinary medicine, it is still rare to focus on the specific needs that female veterinarians have as they take on leadership roles in the profession," Pritt said. "It is important for female veterinarians to hear from other female veterinarians about leadership and develop a sense of comradery, especially in academia."

"The purpose of the workshop is to generate discussion and raise awareness regarding the challenges women face when seeking leadership roles", said Dr. Dawn Boothe, a professor in the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology and director of the Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory.

Boothe and Dr. Marike Visser, a clinical pharmacology resident at the college, are coordinating the conference. "Our goal is to highlight solutions for women to grow into leadership role and provide mentoring to others," Boothe said.

Pritt explained that while the focus of the workshop is on veterinary medicine, most of the information provided during the one-day conference will focus on leadership.

"The data, trends and skills discussed are not specific to veterinary medicine, but will be discussed through the lens of veterinary medicine," Pritt said. "Anyone, whether or not they are involved in the veterinary profession, will be able to leave the conference and say they learned something."

Other speakers include Julie Kumble, a researcher, and writer and founding director of the Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative; Dr. Rachel Cezar, president-elect of the Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative; and Dr. Lorrie Gaschen, associate dean for Diversity and Faculty Affairs at Louisiana State University.

The speakers' collective goal from this workshop is to see more women move into leadership roles and then excel once in those positions.

More information, including a conference program and registration instructions, can be found online at www.vetmed.auburn.edu/ce.

Auburn University is a nationally ranked land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification, life-changing outreach with Carnegie’s Community Engagement designation and an undergraduate education experience second to none. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. Auburn’s commitment to active student engagement, professional success and public/private partnership drives a growing reputation for outreach and extension that delivers broad economic, health and societal impact.