Delaware Networkof the

American Council on EducationOffice of Women in Higher Education

BIENNIAL REPORT2008-2010

www.ace-delnet.org

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Message from thePresident

The Executive Steering Committeeis pleased to share the 2008-2010Delaware Network of the AmericanCouncil on Education - Office ofWomen in Higher Education’s Biennial Report.

In 2008 we updated our website to provide constituents better access to the resources and services we provide. We hope you are utilizing thesite. Please visit www.ace-delnet.org for moreinformation on events, organization partnerships,employment opportunities, and leadership trainingprograms.

We continue to provide networking opportunitiesthrough our fall, winter and spring events. In addition, we are offering professional developmentbrown bag lunches. This past year we offered“Delegating Effectively” and “The FISH! Philosophy:Why We Need It Now More Than Ever!” Come andshare in these interactive sessions. Watch for noticesthroughout the year.

This year the organization promoted a community-service project collecting professional attire for Dressfor Success Delaware. Event attendees donated newand slightly worn shirts, suits, shoes, and bags tosupport women by providing professional attire forinterviews and work. We hope to continue service tothe community in upcoming years.

In fulfillment of our strategic plan, we have partnered with organizations within the state andsurrounding regions, extending our outreach beyondhigher-education institutions. Our new partners arethe National Association of Women BusinessOwners, Society for Human Resource Management,New Castle County Chamber of Commerce, andeWomenNetwork. Events are published on our website.

There are many opportunity for participation inour network. I invite you to get more involved byjoining a committee, participating in the brown baglunches, and bringing a friend to our next event. Weneed everyone’s participation to make the networkall that it can be. Thank you for all your support.

Deborah M. McCreery, Esq.President

Mission StatementIn keeping with the mission of the national

organization, ACE-OWHE Delaware Network,formed in 2001, supports and encourages women inleadership roles among our state's higher-educationinstitutions by:

• Identifying potential women leaders in highereducation, including faculty, staff, and administrators.

• Developing women's leadership positionsthrough nominations and placement processes.

• Advancing women's leadership capacitiesthrough organizational programming and mentoring.

• Supporting the tenure of mid-to-senior-level staffthroughout their careers.

“As Delaware rises to thechallenge of the federallegislative agenda setforth by the Obama andMarkell administrations,the First State remains

one of the leading states working totransform its public education systemfor the 21st Century. From the develop-ment in the 1990s of some of the mostrigorous academic standards in thenation to the development in 2006 of aworld-class vision for our schools throughVision 2015, Delawareans have alwaysrecognized the importance of publiceducation as a basis for the prosperityof present and future generations.”

—Lillian Lowery, Secretary, DelawareDepartment of Education, speaking at theACE-OWHE Delaware Network’s Annual AwardsDinner on October 29, 2009, at WilmingtonUniversity’s Dover Campus.

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Dr. Jack P. Varsalona, President ofWilmington University—ourPresidential sponsor—has beeninstrumental in the continued suc-cess of the ACE-OWHE DelawareNetwork. He has provided leader-ship and financial support to theorganization since 2006. In 2007,Dr. Varsalona was appointed by the

President of the National Council of the AmericanCouncil on Education to serve as a member of theCommission of Women in Higher Education to pro-vide counsel to ACE and the OWHE on policies andprograms related to women in higher education.

Events & NetworkingOpportunities 2010 Spring Networking Event (April)Speaker: Jean Wyld, Vice-President for AcademicAffairs, Springfield College, "Career Choices,”Springfield College

2010 Winter Networking Event (January)Speaker: Betsy Crane, Director of Graduate Programsin Human Sexuality, Widener University, “Good Girlsvs. Bad Girls: The Double Standard Then and Now,”Widener University School of Law

2009 Annual Awards Dinner: Steps to Success -Lessons in Leadership (October)Speaker: Lillian Lowery, Secretary, DelawareDepartment of Education, Wilmington University,Dover Campus

2009 Spring Networking Event (April)Speaker: Carolyn Curry, Vice-President forInstitutional Advancement, Delaware State University,“Color Outside the Lines,” Delaware State University

2009 Winter Networking Event (March)Speaker: Carol Kleiman, Principal, Atwood/ KleimanGroup, “Speed Networking,” Delaware Technical &Community College, Stanton Campus

2008 Fall Networking Event (October)Speaker: Chris Sopa, Founder, Chris SopaInternational, “Making the Dance Your Own,”Goldey-Beacom College

2008 Annual Awards Dinner: Steps to Success -Lessons in Leadership (April)Speaker: Linda Ammons, Dean, Widener UniversitySchool of Law, Widener University School of Law

Professional DevelopmentActivities“The Fish! Philosophy: Why We Need it MoreThan Ever!”Wilmington University, New Castle County CampusMarch 29, 2010, and Delaware Technical &Community College (Wilmington Campus),September 24, 2010

“Delegating Effectively” Delaware Technical & Community College, OwensCampus, November 10, 2009

AwardsAnnually, local women leaders arehonored by ACE-OWHE DelawareNetwork for their potential anddemonstrated achievements, lead-ership, and contributions to highereducation. Recipients of the RisingStar and Leadership Awards arerecognized at the Annual AwardsDinner.

Rising Star AwardThe Rising Star Award is presented to a woman in

Delaware higher education whose potential for futureachievement is evident and recognized. The nomineemust also demonstrate a commitment to higher education through noteworthy contributions in thefield and/or to community service.

Recipients2009 - Simone Marie George, Assistant to thePresident, Wilmington University2008 - Lalena Luna, Program Coordinator forHispanics Culture and Student Campus Programs,University of Delaware2008 - Tina Scott, Director of Student Affairs,Wilmington University

Leadership Award The Leadership Award is presented to a woman in

Delaware higher education on the basis of leadershipactivities and significant contributions within thefield. The nominee must have demonstrated “steps tosuccess,” while serving as a role model for “risingstars” in higher education.

Recipients2009 - LeaNora Ruffin, Assistant Dean, CareerDevelopment Office, Widener University School of Law2008 - Linda Ammons, Associate Provost and Dean,Widener University School of Law

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Membership Membership in the ACE-OWHE Delaware Network is

open to accredited degree-granting institutions of highereducation and their personnel. Application for member-ship can be obtained online at www.ace-delnet.org.Institutional and individual memberships are available fortwo- and one-year periods, respectively.

Institutional benefits include:

• Information about various local, regional, andnational leadership training programs.

• Institutional presence on our website.• A reduced individual membership fee for

employees.

Individual membership benefits include:

• An invitation to participate in workshops, lectures,and seminars at minimal or no cost.

• The benefit of networking with members fromother institutions of higher education in Delawareand around the region.

• An invitation to participate in the organization'selectronic listserv.

• Access to job listings.

Member InstitutionsDelaware Technical & Community College (DTCC),www.dtcc.edu

Delaware State University (DSU), www.desu.edu

University of Delaware (UD), www.udel.edu

Widener University (Widener), www.widener.edu

Goldey-Beacom College (GBC), www.gbc.edu

Springfield College (SC), www.spfldcol.edu

Wilmington University (WU), www.wilmu.edu

Working Group CommitteesMembershipCo-Chairs: Kathy Friel (DTCC) friel@dtcc.edu andRegina Patterson (SC) rpatters@spfldcol.edu

E-CommunicationsCo-Chairs: Audrey Parajon (WU) audrey.m.parajon @wilmu.edu and Colleen McKeone(Widener) ckmckeone@mail.widener.edu

AwardsChair: LaVerne Harmon (WU)laverne.t.harmon@wilmu.edu

Professional DevelopmentCo-Chairs: Liz Asbury-Brown (SC)

elizabeth_asbury@spfldcol.edu and Lynda Fuller (WU)lynda.k.fuller@wilmu.edu

MentoringCo-Chairs: Lynda Fuller (WU)lynda.k.fuller@wilmu.edu and Deborah McCreery(Widener) dmmccreery@widener.edu

Public Relations/OutreachCo-Chairs: Myrna Bair (UD) mbair@udel.edu and PatBuhler (GBC) buhlerp@gbc.edu

Executive SteeringCommitteeDeborah McCreery, PresidentAssistant Vice-President, Development & Alumni Relations,Widener University School of LawKathy Friel, President-ElectAssistant Dean of Instruction, DTCC, Wilmington Campus Hope Murray, Past PresidentVice-President of Human Resources & College Relations, DTCC Barbara Ridgely, TreasurerAssistant Vice-President, Institutional Advancement, DTCC Julia O’Hanlon, SecretaryPolicy Scientist, UD Institute for Public AdministrationJack Varsalona, Presidential SponsorPresident, WUElizabeth A. Asbury-BrownAssistant Director of Academic Services, SCMyrna BairDirector, Women's Leadership Development Program, UDInstitute for Public Administration Pat BuhlerProfessor, GBCMaribeth DocketyHuman Resources Director, DTCC, Owens Campus Becki FogertyDirector of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, UDLynda FullerBusiness Management Coordinator, Business Division, WULaVerne HarmonUniversity Vice-President, WULisa MorelandPolicy Scientist, UD Institute for Public AdministrationAudrey ParajonAssistant Director of Admissions, WURegina PattersonAssistant Director of Administration, SCTina ScottAssistant Vice-President of Student Affairs, WUL. Germaine Scott-CheathamInterim Assistant Vice-President for Enrollment Management, DSUKimberly SudlerAssistant Vice-President for Adult and Continuum Education &Institution Research, DSUGenevieve TigheDirector of Assessment, Assistant to Provost, DSUAlison WhiteAcademic Dean, GBC

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