Professional Development

"Grab the broom of anger and drive off the beast of fear." ~Zora Neale Hurston

Professional development often refers to skills required for maintaining a specific career path, including the more general skills area of personal development. OWA believes that women to women relationships, combined with knowledge, skill, and hard work, create unique opportunities for our women students, faculty, and staff. We sponsor, develop, and promote initiatives that foster an environment in which UD women can identify and achieve their fullest potential.

OWA, through our support of the Commission on the Status of Women, has participated in programs and traditions such as:

Women of Promise Dinner

The annual Women of Promise dinner honors undergraduate women students of exceptional promise. Tenured women faculty nominate students and accompany them to the dinner. The dinner also fosters mentoring relationships between faculty and students, and increases the students' involvement in the intellectual life of the University.

Women of Promise Keynote Speakers:

2008	Monica Taylor
2007	Roberta Golinkoff
2006	Sue McNeil
2005	Robin Morgan
2004	Lori Pollock
2003	Mary Donoghue Galvin
2002	Barbara Gates
2001	Nancy Sottos
2000	Patricia DeLeon
1999	Alvina Quintana

Women of Excellence lecture and reception

The University's women graduate students are honored each spring with a reception at the annual Women of Excellence program. Lecture topics have been varied but largely address concerns of women entering the corporate or academic world with topics such as: perspectives of women in certain careers, improving overall campus climate, the under representation of women in certain fields, educating inside and outside the classroom, and dealing with institutional barriers.

Women of Excellence Keynote Speakers:

2008	Mary Ann Mason, Former Dean of Graduate Studies, UC-Berkeley
2007	Linda Katehi, Provost and Vice Chancelor for Academic Affairs, University of Illinoi
2006	Vivian Pinn, Associate Director for Research on Women's Health, NIH
2005	Margaret Stetz, Mae and Robert Carter Professor of Women's Studies, University of DE
2004	Sue Rosser, Dean of the Ivan Allen School at Georgia Institute of Technology
2003	Debra Rolison, chemist, Naval Research Labs

New Female Faculty reception

Each year, OWA partners with other campus groups to sponsor an informal lunch for new women faculty. The luncheon provides an opportunity for new faculty to learn about university resources pertinent to women, as well as meeting many advocates for women on campus.
Promotion and Tenure Workshops

OWA helps organize an annual workshop to inform faculty regarding the promotion and tenure process. Topics discussed include, among others, the dossier, the role of external reviews, and the stages of the University's tenure and promotion procedures.