INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Midwest Athletic Conference’s four female campus presidents spoke virtually to female athletics staff members on Monday during the league’s first Women’s Leadership Series event of the 2022-23 academic year.
Dr. Katherine Fell, President of the University of Findlay, Connie Gallaher, President of Ohio Dominican University, Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President at Tiffin University and Sr. Christine De Vinne, President at Ursuline College made up the panel that spoke to Great Midwest female athletic staff members during the virtual seminar.
“The Great Midwest Athletic Conference is blessed to have engaged presidential leadership,” said Great Midwest Commissioner Tom Daeger. “We are thankful that our four female presidents provided their time, experiences, and support to over 50 female administrators, coaches and staff as part of the Great Midwest Women's Leadership Series programming. The series, led by Deputy Commissioner Leslie Schuemann and the Great Midwest SWA Committee, has provided a number of professional development opportunities over the last two years, highlighted by this most recent engagement with our institutional presidents. We are tremendously grateful for our presidents' commitment to the advancement of female administrators in the Great Midwest.”
The virtual seminar gathered more than 50 participants from the 14 athletic departments within the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. For roughly an hour, the four panelists shared about their path to the president's seat, the attributes of a successful leader, how to maintain balance between life and work, and the challenges of having a successful career.
“What an amazing seminar!” said Sandy Rowley, Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator at Ohio Dominican. “ The opportunity to hear from our four female G-MAC Presidents was inspiring. While the information each shared was different in some ways, the general theme of the importance of women in the workforce was reinforced by all four of the presidents. I am sure that everyone in attendance was motivated by the stories they shared, and the wisdom they imparted. We are so grateful to each of them taking the time to talk with us, it is very much appreciated.”
The Great Midwest Women's Leadership Series is an annual project created in conjunction with the Senior Women Administrators Committee to help provide opportunity and personal development to female staff members within the conference. The series began in May 2020 and will continue on November 15, 2022 with a presentation from long-time women's basketball coach Sue Ramsey
titled "Great Teams Have Great Teammates."