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PRLog - Mar. 18, 2014 - KENT, Ohio -- The ����Թ� Student Center Ballroom was filled on March 5 for the Spirit of Women in Business Conference, hosted by the College of Business Administration.

Morning keynote speaker Amy Cuddy, Ph.D., nationally recognized Harvard Business School professor, spoke about her research on power posing. Power posing is a nonverbal expression of competence and power. Luncheon speaker Farai Chideya, journalist, entrepreneur, and sociopolitical analyst, spoke about doing the right work and ways she has seen women discover the right work for themselves.

Renee DeLuca Dolan, president of Contempo Communications and publisher of Cleveland Business Connects (CBC) magazine, is a “proud supporter of women's initiatives that inspire, educate and provide networking for women throughout (northeast Ohio).”

“The Spirit of Women in Business Conference provides all these opportunities for women of all ages at various levels of their careers,” she said. “It's a great way to spend a day with thought provoking messages that are easy to apply day to day.”

Also at the conference, ����Թ� State alumna Judith A. Jones was the first to be awarded the Spirit of Women in Business Award. Jones, a 1964 graduate of the College of Business Administration’s Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) program, was the first woman to receive an MBA degree from the university.

“It was wonderful to see Mrs. Jones honored as a part of the Spirit of Women in Business Conference,”said Laurie Walker, executive programs director for the College of Business and Administration. “She truly exemplifies a trailblazer who has paved the road for women who follow in her path.” This sentiment was echoed by Deborah Spake, Dean of the College of Business Administration, “Judy Jones’ success and perseverance at a time when few women filled senior positions in the finance industry is inspiring. She is deserving of this recognition and I was pleased that she was able to attend the event to receive the award in person.”

Additionally, there were breakout sessions on professional development and business topics and a networking reception. Kristin Dowling, business development manager at IdeaBase, spoke at one of these sessions with Anne Dudley, communications manager for the Health Sciences Library at the University of North Carolina ­ Chapel Hill, about social media and re­branding. Dowling felt that the event was a success. “I thought the conference went very well,” said Dowling. “The speakers were wonderful and and the subject matter was relevant and timely.”