Transylvania SAB celebrates Women’s History Month with community leader panel

Transylvania University's Student Activities Board marked Women's History Month on March 19 with a panel discussion featuring female leaders from diverse fields in the Lexington community.

Mayor Linda Gorton issued a proclamation recognizing the "Women Who Lead" event and its importance in highlighting the contributions of women who have helped shape Lexington.

Meredith Judy, SAB vice president for marketing, said the panel built on the success of last year's inaugural event. Both drew strong student attendance.

This year's group discussed their personal and professional journeys, including challenges faced as women in their respective fields. "We really tried to get a wide variety of people from different backgrounds and cultures," Judy said.

Attendees also submitted questions for a Q&A portion, prompting panelists to reflect deeply on topics of mentorship, navigating life after graduation, self-empowerment and balancing career, personal life and well-being.

Students heard from Claire Dorris-Lloyd, a 2011 Transylvania alumna, psychology instructor and licensed professional clinical counselor specializing in perinatal mental health. Another panelist, UK DanceBlue co-founder Jennifer Mynear, spoke about the dance marathon fundraiser for pediatric cancer patients and its expansion to other campuses such as Transylvania.

Other panelists included Marisa Aull, executive director of the Asphalt Institute Foundation; Renee Shaw, director of public affairs at KET; and Mae Suramek, director of the New Americans Initiative.

Students also got a chance to network with panelists afterward, which included free refreshments from Bon Appétit.

Tying into the panel, SAB set up a table the day before during Popcorn Wednesday for students to write gratitude cards to influential women in their lives.

Judy said the interest in "Women Who Lead" makes her think it will become an annual tradition. The previous panel included Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Layne Coleman.

"It's something that is really meaningful to us while planning it, and it's something that the students seem to like," Judy said.

The proclamation from Mayor Gorton was a special acknowledgement for their efforts. "It's nice to get that recognition," she added.

Transylvania's "Women Who Lead" continues the university's tradition of fostering dialogue on leadership, resilience and community impact.