The women of the state were greeted yesterday by a high-profile guest at the Governor's Conference for Women at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
First Lady Midge Rendell delivered the opening and closing remarks in front of a crowd of nearly 3,000.
The conference, designed to empower and advise women in many aspects of life, was sponsored by Gov. Ed Rendell, who has frequently mentioned his support for the educational and professional strides women have made in the state.
The three conference sessions featured seven differently themed tracks, including leadership, health and career advancement. Panelists came from a wide variety of fields, ranging from the clergy to topflight business, yet they were all united in being role models for attendees.
"I think it serves to heighten the profile of a lot of issues that are of concern to women," Rendell said following the event. "Things that women care about are being addressed."
"Women can learn from the experts," said Leslie Stiles, executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women. "We want them to realize there's nothing women cannot do."
Despite the various themes of discussions, panelists often focused on the process of building self-confidence. According to several panelists, women possessing the essential skills for any profession are only constrained by an overdose of self-doubt.
Ella Bell, a professor at Dartmouth University's Tuck School of Business, said that many more of her female students question whether they are qualified to be in the program than males.
"They say, "Oh, the guys are so much smarter' ... only four months from graduation," she said. "I tell them to grow up -- they're about to enter the real world, where you can't ask, "Why am I at the table?"'
Some panelists noted that while some of the skills needed for success may be acquired in the classroom and through work, social interaction is another important way to build vital experiences and personal tools.
Donna Lopiano, executive director of the Women's Sports Foundation, labeled sports as the most important method of social development for boys and girls.
"Four out of five executive women played sports growing up," she said. "Sport teaches you that "I will' means "I can.'"
Though anyone can gain the minimal necessary competency for a job, some business executive speakers said that women had a natural advantage.
Attendees noted that women are "multi-taskers," devoting themselves to several people at once, which they said is a desirable quality in the business world.
"Women like the idea that power is orchestration, removing barriers for people so that all people can succeed," said Margaret Heffernan, chief executive officer of iCAST. "That is exactly what today's [businesses] demand."
Those invovled happy about the high turnout and the quality of the forums.
"It's really empowering for women to get a ton of info in this environment," panelist and Penn alumna Jean Chatzky said. "I think it's gone terrifically well -- these conferences usually take a while to get off the ground."
Midge Rendell was convinced that the women present had received solid guidelines that would help them follow in the footsteps of the panelists.
"They are all feeling so inspired," she said. "Women spend so much time taking care of others. This is giving them a chance to focus on themselves."
