The Women’s Empowerment Board hosted its ninth annual Women’s Symposium last Tuesday at Bayou Pointe. Mothers, businesswomen and students discussed the challenges women may face inside and outside the workplace.  

ULM marketing instructor Melissa Kiper Baldwin served as the 2025 chair of the Women’s Symposium Board. Ahead of the annual event, Baldwin described how the board restructured the symposium to be more appealing to the student body.

“This year, we wanted it to be a little more student-focused,” Baldwin said. “So, we have four tracks, and we actually mimicked them around the four colleges on campus.”  

The board created panels catered to students’ professional interests, covering topics from Hormone Replacement Therapy to the visual and performing arts. The board coordinated with local professionals and alumni to be panelists.   

Lisa Miller, the vice president of enrollment management and university relations, urged attendees to network and connect with the accomplished panelists. The stories of every panelist empower young attendees to pursue their professional aspirations.   

“Let today be a reminder to take a risk, walk through the door of opportunity and take a giant leap of faith because we are here for one another,” Miller said. 

The Women’s Symposium honors community leaders with an annual award ceremony. Senior Michayla Myles and graduate student Camille Cirilo received the Emerging Student Leader Award and Empowering Student Leader Award, respectively. The board selects one traditional and one non-traditional ULM student “who contributes to the empowerment, motivation and encouragement of fellow peers and fosters positive change,” as stated in the award application requirements. ULM faculty, staff and advisors nominate outstanding students inside and outside of the classroom.

Exercise science major Myles seeks to empower women pursuing medical careers through her involvement in Phi Epsilon Kappa and the Association of Students in Kinesiology.  

“Being involved in Phi Epsilon Kappa and The Association of Students in Kinesiology has deepened my understanding of my field while teaching me how to support and uplift my peers,” Myles said.  

Myles is also a member of the Delta Human Service Authority Coalition Board, a local agency that sponsors initiatives targeting citizens’ concerns. Myles supports the agency’s mission “to build a unified Northeast Louisiana where individuals are thriving and reaching their full human potential.”  

“I love advocating for our youth, creating spaces where they feel seen, heard and capable of achieving their dreams,” Myles said. “I want them to see their own potential and know they are strong, intelligent, and worthy.”  

Occupation therapy graduate student Cirilo earned the Empowering Student Leader award. Owner of Bayou Land Sensory Gym, Cirilo combines her interest in occupational therapy with her love for children. In an interview with KTVE, Cirilo explained that the gyms exist as safe play area for children with sensory input disorders.  

The 2025 Women Symposium centered around transitions. U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) spoke on a prerecorded video to the crowd members. The Monroe native became the first Republican woman elected to serve Louisiana in the House. She shared her experience transitioning from an academic administrator to a member of the House of Representatives. Letlow praised the efforts of women improving the professional world for the next generation. 

“In 2025 and beyond, women will lead the way,” Letlow said. “Mark my words.”

Miss Ouachita Parish Genevieve Alexander served on the Women’s Empowerment Board, collaborating with panelists and organizing events. The senior marketing major explained that the Women’s Symposium is more than just an annual event. It is the beginning of a movement.

“The Women’s Symposium isn’t just about one day of inspiration; it’s about creating a lasting movement that empowers women to pursue their goals fearlessly and lift others as they climb,” Alexander said. “It teaches women that adversity isn’t the end of the road but rather a stepping stone toward something greater.”

Alexander recognized the importance of women supporting one another despite adversity. Despite battling breast cancer, Alexander’s mother placed the needs of others before her own. Alexander recalled how her mother decorated the hospital exam rooms with positive affirmations and posters. Remembering her mother’s lessons, Alexander sought to honor her legacy by working with the Women’s Symposium.

“The Women’s Symposium is about creating a space where women can inspire, uplift and empower one another—values instilled in me since childhood,” Alexander said. “My late mother, Angel, was the greatest example of this. Even during her toughest battle with triple-negative breast cancer, she continued to empower those around her.”

By helping organize and plan the symposium, Alexander hoped to instill the same values of resilience and empowerment in attendees. She wanted all attendees to leave the Women’s Symposium knowing they could achieve their dreams.

“If there’s one thing I hope attendees take away from the Women’s Symposium, it’s that their voices matter, their dreams are valid and their stories (no matter how difficult) have the power to inspire and uplift others,” Alexander said.