October 14, 2010

How does sports participation prepare young women athletes to become leaders in business and society? What causes or thwarts a thriving sports career for professional women athletes? Why do professional women in sports succeed or fail?

Why does any of this matter?

The Wellesley Centers for Women will host a compelling dialogue in New York City on October 27 to address these questions and more with Donna Orender, President of the Women’s National Basketball Association; Gail Marquis, Vice President of Element Financial Group, Olympic Champion, and NYC Basketball Hall of Famer; Susan Choi, Golf Professional in the LPGA Futures & Canadian Women's Tours; Jill Smoller, Head of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment’s Sports/Entertainment Division; Laura Pappano, WCW Writer in Residence, veteran journalist, and author of Playing with the Boys: Why Separate Is Not Equal in Sports; and Alina Cho, National Correspondent for CNN and Contributor to American Morning on CNN/U.S.

“Women and Sports: Get in the Game,” WCW’s third annual “Women and…” New York City luncheon will be held Wednesday, October 27 at the New York Athletic Club. Nearly 300 professionals from across various industries attended the prior years’ programs, “Young Women and Violence” in 2009 and “Post-Election: What’s Next for Women and the Media” in 2008, which featured dynamic speakers including Diane Sawyer, Lynn Sherr, and Linda Fairstein, among others.

By presenting new knowledge and offering solutions to some of today’s pressing social policy issues, work at the Wellesley Centers for Women—which puts women's perspectives at the center—generates changes in attitudes, practices, and public policy. Recognizing the value of sports in preparing leaders, WCW continues to investigate where and how women athletes succeed, as well as the barriers they still confront on and off the field. A program of Wellesley College and one of the largest gender-focused, social science research organizations in the world, WCW marks its 35th anniversary this year.

“Women and …” is a continuing conversation organized with New York City-area supporters of WCW to share the vitality and relevance of the Centers’ research and influence. “Women and Sports: Get in the Game” is sponsored by BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Under Armour, and Dominick & Dominick.

Learn more at www.wcwonline.org/nycevent or by calling 781 283 2552.

Background materials and fact sheets are accessible at: www.wcwonline.org/images/stories/events/nycevent2010/WCWWorkonWomenandSportsFactSheets.pdf