April 2005

Featuring Staff
Kellye Edwards

By Stefanie Johnson
Special to FYI Online

Kellye Edwards

“Women wear so many hats,” said Kellye Edwards, executive assistant in UMUC’s Office of the President. “It takes a lot of negotiation to get it all done.”

Multitasking is a way of life for Edwards. In addition to her fulltime job, she is also a fulltime mom and a part-time student, raising two children and pursuing a degree in human resource management from UMUC.

Four years ago, Edwards attended a conference for people like herself—women for whom professional pursuits constitute just one portion of their work. The conference was organized by The Women’s Forum of the University System of Maryland.

“I was so excited when I first attended,” recalled Edwards. “There were so many workshops of interest, particularly from the perspective of nontraditional students with families.”

When Edwards gave an enthusiastic review of the conference to another forum member, she was invited to serve on the forum’s annual conference committee. Though her schedule was already crowded, Edwards agreed.

“I love helping people,” Edwards admitted. “The conference brings women together to foster networking. It also gives women who may not have regular access to professional development an excellent opportunity to take advantage of training presented by some of the country’s most experienced professionals.”

The forum was founded in 1989 to provide an opportunity for women to have a system-wide effect on issues of particular relevance to them. Its annual conference offers a variety of seminars that address the diverse concerns of working women. Featured speakers have included NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, Maryland State Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp and, most recently, Sharon R. Pinder, special secretary for the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs in Maryland and last year’s UMUC Alumna of the Year.

Just one year after joining the forum, Edwards was asked to serve as chair of the conference planning committee. Under her leadership, the annual event has seen tremendous growth. When it was first organized, the conference offered five workshops to roughly 90 attendees. Sixteen years later, the October event is expected to be packed with more than 400 people attending 23 seminars on topics ranging from coping with stress and managing personal finances to mentoring and creating eye-catching resumes.

“[The forum] is a mixture of staff, administration, and faculty,” said Edwards. “We are all juggling different sets of responsibilities, so the seminars are not just given by academics.  We present a variety of speakers and vendors to address the many areas in which we function.”

Edwards continues to head up the conference planning committee, but last year she accepted a new role as chair of the executive council of the Women’s Forum.  In this capacity, she oversees the work of eight committees made up of representatives from all of the member educational institutions in the University System of Maryland. Edwards is the third representative from UMUC to be elected chair.

“We try to be a voice for women on our campuses,” said Edwards. “We encourage people of diverse backgrounds to openly discuss issues that they face. We use this dialogue to develop real solutions.” Their work has paid off in the form of reports that have served to guide system-wide policies on sexual harassment, pay equity, work-family practices, and more.

Measurable results have come in the form of reports that have directly affected system-wide policies on sexual harassment, pay equity, work-family practices, and the treatment of contractual employees. The forum has also handed out 30 scholarships and 11 research awards to students and faculty members studying issues that impact women.

But the forum doesn’t only serve women. Awards and events are open to both men and women, and both men and women are invited to present at the conferences.

“Women who aspire to positions that are considered by some to be nontraditional, such as Math and information technology, may need male mentors,” Edwards pointed out. “We encourage women and men to participate in our events. Men should understand the issues that are impacting their daughters and wives and mothers.”

The forum’s next project is a survey of women’s centers and commissions on each university system campus.

“It is our goal to encourage the development of some sort of support system on each campus,” explained Edwards. “We would like to create opportunities for community building, networking, and mentorship across the university system.”