Saturday marks the return of the Woman’s Empowerment Conference held annually at Georgia Southern University. The keynote speaker is Valeisha Butterfield Jones, who is the current founder and CEO of the Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN).

She was also the deputy director of President Obama’s International Trade Administration from 2009-2011. The all-day event will contain a number of guest speakers. The event is for any undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty or staff whom would like to attend.

The topics will come from a wide variety of subjects, all with a focus on the progression of women. “We don’t want everyone talking about love, money, or relationships… Whoever puts in a variety [of topics] is normally who we choose,” Talia Myrick, event coordinator and graduate assistant, said.

Everyone is invited, but the majority of the event is concentrated on women and a woman’s worth.

“All of the speaker sessions are really helpful for the students. I think each section will help students learn about the realities of life,” Myrick said.

The admission cost is $10 with a student ID. That cost covers breakfast, lunch, snacks as well as a networking hour that will have food at the end. It’s an all-day event, and they plan on filling you up throughout the day.

One of the sessions for the day will be titled “Success Strategies Used to Overcome Perceived Institutional Barriers in Academe,” opened up by Dr. Kimberly Robinson. She is the current director and owner of a group home for girls in Brooklet.

She intends for the session to “further the discussion on the lived experiences of women of color in higher education who currently hold leadership positions and how race and gender affects that process to leadership attainment.” At the same time she hopes to give possible advice and strategies to women on how to navigate barriers.