Student Spotlight: Rono Attends GWI Conference
Lornex Rono (Pardee ’19) attended the 2016 Graduate Women International Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa.
The conference included multiple sessions on managing complexity in education, the ubiquitous glass ceiling, gender equity and leadership and education and vulnerable populations.
Rono said her favorite session from the conference was aimed at young leaders, and designed to develop participants’ skills and understanding to operate effectively in their current environments, examine what is needed for leadership and how their styles affect organizational development and their own reputation in the fields in which they are active.
“It was interesting to be surrounded by people who have very different beliefs and culture yet the same goals,” Rono said. “All of us were interested in empowering other women and making education accessible to young girls all over the world. This workshop really opened my eyes to many other gender inequalities that go on even in the more developed countries.”
According to Rono, the conference supplemented a course she took at the Pardee School taught by Assistant Professor of International Relations and Politcal Science Michael Woldemariam that covered gender politics in South Africa.
“My trip to Cape Town helped me to see this firsthand and to see the impacts of the new policies in parliament and its effect in the representation of women,” Rono said. “I also had a chance to talk to local South African women and listen to them. It was interesting to hear their points of view.”
Rono said she plans on using lessons learned at the conference back in class at the Pardee School and beyond.
“I learned a lot about how gender and race play a role in work spaces which was very interesting,” Rono said. “At the end of the workshop, I learned so much about leadership and I cannot wait to implement the skills and knowledge into my daily life and in my future career.”