© 2024 New England Public Media

FCC public inspection files:
WGBYWFCRWNNZWNNUWNNZ-FMWNNI

For assistance accessing our public files, please contact hello@nepm.org or call 413-781-2801.
PBS, NPR and local perspective for western Mass.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Bay Path University returns to in-person for 25th annual Women's Leadership Conference

 An audience member gives her remarks during Bay Path University's 25th Annual Women's Conference.
Submitted
/
Bay Path University
An audience member gives her remarks during Bay Path University's 25th Annual Women's Conference.

Bay Path University lead it's first in-person Women's Leadership Conference since the pandemic in 2020 with more than 1,300 participants from across the region, including Boston and Hartford.

Karen Woods, an assistant vice president at the Longmeadow-based university, organized the event held at the MassMutual Center in Springfield.

She said the day, which included a keynote address from Tyra Banks, focused on reinventing the idea of work and career post COVID-19.

"The world of work has changed. I think the pandemic has allowed flexibility, people to look at positions a little bit different," Woods said. "Do I need to be in the office? Perhaps we can have conversations ... over Zoom. Can we be in the office and be home? I think people are trying to figure that out."

The event included various breakout sessions for participants to choose from throughout the day with topics including thriving at work and finding meaning in life and career.

Woods said she was most excited to hear Banks closing remarks and taste her newly released ice cream brand, Smize Cream.

Corrected: April 4, 2022 at 11:08 AM EDT
An earlier version of this post incorrectly identified Karen Woods as a faculty member. She is the university's assistant vice president in the communications department.
Nirvani Williams covers socioeconomic disparities for New England Public Media, joining the news team in June 2021 through Report for America.