EMU Today

YPSILANTI — In honor of Women’s History Month, the Honors College at Eastern Michigan University will host a Women’s Leadership Panel from 6 - 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 27, in the Honors College Reception Hall. The panel is part of EMU’s Week of Excellence.

Each of the panelists has leadership experience in areas such as politics, public service, website engineering, and education. The panelists will discuss their journeys to their professional leadership roles and the experiences that they have encountered within their areas of specialization.

“Many times women, especially women of color, are left out of impactful spaces and conversations. The Women’s Leadership Panel is meant to connect students to women who have overcome the challenges they encounter on their journey to prominent leadership positions,” said Tierra Tresvant, a senior Presidential Scholar and political science major and the event coordinator for the Honors College. “This is a great event for students to attend because the panelists are excited to share their stories and give advice to the next generation. I’m hoping that, by attending this event, young women of color will realize that they belong in leadership positions.”

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from extraordinary women of color about how they grew into their leadership roles and will gain a deeper understanding of the qualities that make for an effective leader. Panelists include:

Nicole Brown, Mayor of Ypsilanti

Nicole Brown earned Bachelor’s degrees in communication and social work and a Master of Social Work from Eastern Michigan. In addition to her work as Mayor Ypsilanti, Brown serves as a program supervisor at a children’s mental health agency, where she guides a team to support vulnerable members of the community and assist youth and their families in managing daily challenges. Brown also facilitates the agency’s initiatives to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Eunice Jeffries, Director of Government and Community Relations at Oakland Community College, Board Chair of EMU Board of Regents

Eunice Jeffries has over 25 years of experience in public service, including expertise in external relations and community affairs. She currently serves as chair of EMU’s Board of Regents. As a Regent, Jeffries aids in creating and refining policies to enhance EMU. She also serves as Director of Government and Community Relations at Oakland Community College and is an active volunteer within the community.

Linette Lao, Founder of Invisible Engines, Creative Writing Lecturer at EMU

Linette Lao is the founder of Invisible Engines, a company that strives to build nonprofit organizations through visual storytelling. With more than 25 years of design experience for nonprofits locally and internationally, Lao also works as a professor in the interdisciplinary creative writing program at Eastern, and she serves on the boards of the Association of Businesses of Color and Hero Nation.

Jolia Hill, Director of EMU Charter School Office

Jolia Hill serves as director of the charter schools program at EMU, overseeing 12 public school academies in Michigan. Hill has extensive experience in managing public school academies, supervising state and federal programs, grant writing, administration, and principal finance analysis. She is currently partnering with EMU Honors students to form a tutoring program for a local charter school.

About the Eastern Michigan University Honors College
The Honors College is home to many intellectually talented and motivated students and provides the intimacy of a small, liberal arts education within a large, comprehensive university. Honors students are offered educational and cultural experiences through challenging courses and extra-curricular activities that encourage scholarly curiosity, leadership, civic engagement, and diversity. The Honors College provides undergraduate students opportunities for a wide range of experiences that aid in developing students’ appreciation for creativity, the arts, sciences, critical issues facing contemporary society, and diversity among people and their cultures.

For more information about the Eastern Michigan University Honors College, visit the Honors College.

About Eastern Michigan University
Founded in 1849, Eastern is the second oldest public university in Michigan. It currently serves more than 14,000 students pursuing undergraduate, graduate, specialist, doctoral and certificate degrees in the arts, sciences and professions. In all, more than 300 majors, minors and concentrations are delivered through the University's Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering and Technology; Health and Human Services; and its graduate school. National publications regularly recognize EMU for its excellence, diversity, and commitment to applied education. Visit the University’s rankings and points of pride websites to learn more. For more information about Eastern Michigan University, visit the University's website. To stay up to date on University news, activities and announcements, visit EMU Today.