Jill Ker Conway

It was interesting to me to listen about Jillion's Ker Conway's journey through her successful life.  This is a very accomplished woman who faced lots of doubt and adversity throughout her career.  She was a true leader of the early feminism movement and was a role model for lots of other woman in her time.  Her journey was one of a kind, starting in her hometown of South Wales, Australia.  Hearing about her accomplishments after coming to America as an immigrant were both inspiring to me and impactful.  Much like the women from Hidden Figures, Jill Ker Conway also faced many obstacles because of her gender.  She was one of the prominent women in history that was able to slowly help change the way that the world viewed women.  

Her work of accomplishments is everlasting.  Some of the most memorable ones that I took from the lecture were earning a masters and PhD from Harvard, winning the US National Humanities Award in 2013 and being the schools first common book speaker.  Maybe her most groundbreaking accomplishment, was becoming the first women president of Smith College, the largest women's college in the United States.  One of the activities that we were asked to do during the lecture required us to come up with solutions that she might've faced during her time was the school president.  We had to keep in mind that she was the first women president and that her fellow colleagues would be unsure her abilities and decision making.  It is hard enough being the president of a college, now add on the challenges that come with being the first women president.  It was not an easy task, but her relentless personality was able to help her overcome these challenges.  This was such an impactful role for her to take up, because most women during that time were supposed to marry a man then tend to the house and kids.  She was able to start a change in women roles and show the world than women can do just as good of a job if not better than men can do in the workplace.  

The last two topics that we've discussed are both related in my eyes.  The two women figures, Jill Ker Conway and the Women at NASA were both able to show that women are just as intelligent, capable and strong enough to tackle any job that a man can do.  There should be no boundaries or restrictions for women in the workplace.  These women were able to overcome the ones who questioned them and show that no one should be doubting them.  This group of intelligent individuals were key contributors to changing the roles of women throughout the world.