The 10th annual WILith Fair hosted by the Women in Leadership Series went off without a hitch last night.
WILith Fair - a celebration of female leaders on campus - featured good food, quality entertainment and a long list of honorees, guests and students being recognized for their distinguished leadership and outstanding achievement.
College sophomore Julia Holup, a member of the WILS executive board, was happy to see some of the women who have made great contributions to Penn get their day in the sun.
"It's a great opportunity to bring together all types of female leaders" said Holup, whose organization will host a seminar next month on finance-managing tips for women. "We want to get the word out there that we can have a huge impact on campus."
The evening began with a spoken word performance from the Excelano Project, a dance routine by PENNaach and music from Quaker Notes, one of Penn's all-female a capella groups.
Next, guest speaker Michele Goldfarb, director of the Penn Women's Center, spoke passionately about women improving their rank among tenured professors and corporate executives. She also added that 37 percent of women have been prescribed an anti-depressant and in times of conflict, eight out of 10 people displaced by war are women.
"I feel so excited to be a part of this because women are obviously such an important face on Penn's campus," Goldfarb said. "I wanted to highlight accomplishments and also make note of some of the serious challenges."
As the event wound down, 12 women were honored for their exemplary work as administrators, club advisors and counselors. They each received a plaque to symbolize their service and commitment to nurturing female leadership.
"We were able to recognize people who would otherwise have been overlooked," said WILS co-chair Carine Carmy, a College senior. "I think the diversity and talent of these women is incredible."
After the last speaker, attendees were encouraged to consume some of the hot and cold hors d'oeuvres on hand and continue to socialize, network and celebrate their womanhood.
The celebration, however, wasn't limited to just women - several male students also attended.
"I support women in leadership and I know a lot of the women being honored tonight," said College senior Jared Schachner, who attended the event.
