LANCASTER, Pa. – Bryn Mawr student-athletes Jenna Vollor (basketball) and Shay Villegas (tennis) traveled to Lancaster, Pa. for the 28th annual Snell-Shillingford Leadership Symposium. They were joined by basketball head coach, Carla Coleman, who served as a mentor to student participants. The annual event sponsored by the Centennial Conference was hosted by Franklin & Marshall on October 11-12 and attended by members from all the conference schools.
 
The symposium dates to 1999 and was started by Bryn Mawr's own Jen Shillingford, who was serving as athletic director at the time. Each year the symposium is hosted at a Centennial Conference institution and is represented by female athletes, coaches, and administrators from member schools. The purpose of the symposium is to converge and participate in sessions designed to empower women in the coaching profession and to encourage them to take up the legacy of those who have gone before them.
 
The theme for this year's program was "The Power of Me: Creating Impact That Matters" celebrate the idea that meaningful change starts with individual action. By recognizing our unique strengths, embracing our voices, and leading with purpose, we unlock the power to create lasting impact in our communities, teams, and the world around us.
 
The program featured a panel discussion with women in sport, including Bethany Miller, Sports Director at WGAL; Kate Corcoran, Director of Athletics at Millersville University; and Swarthmore women's basketball alum Katie Lytle, who currently serves as Assistant Athletic Director for Budget and Planning at Princeton University. The panel was complemented by five sessions focused on topics including Title IX, goal setting, the power of mentorship, and more. Speakers for this year's symposium included Ashley Day Gibbs of Women Leading Baltimore, Chelsea Christmas of At Her Core Fitness, Amy Wilson of the NCAA, Dina Henry of Franklin & Marshall College, and author Megan Weisheipl.