Beyond being the largest event organized by Oakland University Student Congress for the current administration, the 2012 Oakland Symposium will be bringing in the big names to speak, including Sheryl WuDunn — the first Asian American winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of “Half the Sky,” — the OU Board of Trustees Chair Henry Baskin, CEO of Haven, Executive Director of the Collaborative Group and vice-presidents from the multi-billion dollar industries Johnson Controls, Eaton Corporation and Consumers Energy. (Among others listed below)

OUSC is hosting the 2012 Oakland Symposium on the topic of Empowering Women in the Global Community on March 2. Join in on this educational and inspirational series of engagements, workshops, panels and entertainment.

If this already sounds good, learn more and register for the symposium here oakland.edu/symposium.

WuDunn, as described previously, will keynote the symposium at 9 a.m. at Meadow Brook Theatre, followed by various panels from 10:45 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., a networking session at 3:30 p.m. in the Oakland Room, a benefit dinner at 5:30 at Meadow Brook Hall and the RHA’s Grizzposé fashion show fundraiser at 7 p.m. in the Gold Rooms.

Women and girls compose more than half the world’s population, however this group is still categorized as a minority because of inequality and discrimination that is either hidden or obvious in many societies throughout the world.

OU’s student female population happens to be a surprising 60 percent.

However, it is important to note that women’s empowerment empowers all 100 percent of the Oakland University student body.

In the novel, “Half the Sky” by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, they reason that Earth’s largest untapped resource is women. Thus, empowering women is empowering the global economy.

The 2012 Oakland Symposium at OU will become the place for understanding global women’s empowerment and learning about solutions to make a positive difference in our own community.

Topics for workshops and panels include sex trafficking, women overcoming social challenges, women with disabilities, global perspectives, empowerment through the legal system, women in politics and media, women in poverty, religious perspectives, and women in business.

Free lunch at noon and refreshments and hors d’oeuvres will be provided throughout the day.

View the symposium program and register online at www.oakland.edu/symposium 

Contact the OUSC Legislative Affairs Director, Samantha Wolf at [email protected] with questions and comments

Benjamin Eveslage is the president of the Oakland University Student Congress. Contact him via email at [email protected]