Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Two KU alumnae have topped the list of Forbes Magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Women in the World, finding themselves among an international hodgepodge of chief executives, presidents and queens.
Sheila Bair, chair of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, placed second on the list, which was released in August. Bair grew up in Independence, Kan., and graduated from the University with a degree in philosophy in 1978 and a J.D. from the School of Law in 1982. She has served as chair of the FDIC since June 2006.
Contributed photo. Sheila Bair is the chair of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. She placed second on the list of Forbes Magazine's 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.
Photo courtsey of VisMedia. Cynthia Carroll is the Chief Executive Officer of Anglo American, based in London. She placed fourth on the list of Forbes Magazine's 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.
Cynthia Carroll, who placed fourth on the list, earned her Masters of Science in geology in 1982 and is the Chief Executive Officer of Anglo American, based in London. The company is one of the largest independent mining corporations in the world.
Forbes, a biweekly business magazine, is famous for its lists, which have included “400 Richest Americans,” “Celebrity 100” and “America’s Best Colleges.” According to the Forbes Web site, the list is determined by two scoring components: a woman’s press visibility and the size of the country or company she runs.
Other women on the list include German chancellor Angela Merkel, 1st, Hillary Clinton, 36th, Michelle Obama, 40th, Oprah Winfrey, 41st and Kathleen Sebelius, who is also a KU graduate, 57th.
Shannon Fisher, Lawrence first-year law student, was inspired by finding herself at the school Bair graduated from 31 years ago.
“It’s really enabling to know that someone who’s gone through the same programs that I’ve been going through right now has been able to reach such a high level,” she said.
Rhonda LeValdo, KU graduate from the School of Journalism, was nominated for the KU Women of Distinction Calendar in 2009 for a Pulitzer Center video she produced of her grandmother, who lives in Acoma Pueblo, N.M., one of the oldest continuously-occupied settlements in the United States. LeValdo said she recognized the potential influence a powerful woman could have on others.
“I think it’s important to show female students what is possible when you put your mind to work,” LeValdo said. “Also, I think it gives students an idea of what they can achieve if they are doubting themselves.”
Fisher said that Forbes’ list was a good example of the improving status of women, but that inequality between men and women was still a problem.
“It’s not shattered yet, I don’t think,” she said about the notion of the glass ceiling. “I’m sure these KU alumni that have reached high heights have had to sacrifice a lot that maybe their male counterparts haven’t had to.”
KUJH interviewed Carroll after she placed fifth on the 2008 Forbes list. She had two pieces of advice for KU students: The first was to learn another language and the second was to study and focus while in school.
“Really follow your heart — what you want to do, what really turns you on,” she said in the interview.
— — Edited by Jacob Muselmann
KU alumna climbed her way to the ...
Cynthia Carroll is ranked fifth most powerful woman by Forbes Magazine.
Six women inducted into Women's Hall of ...
The University of Kansas inducted six women into the women’s hall of ...
Thompson: Where our world collides with the ...
Journalism School awards 63rd annual William Allen ...
John Carroll, former Pulitzer-Prize winning editor, was this year's award recipient.
Former Shell executive talks energy
KU alumna Linda Cook, one of Forbes’ most powerful women, emphasized need ...
Alumna in running to be first ‘green ...
Juliana Tran will find out tonight whether she has won Project Green ...
Facing the music
For 13 students sued by the music industry, the risks of illegal ...
Beauty of the fairer sex
Both women and men performed in "Genius of Women," a talent show ...
KU grad one of 'America's favorite bosses'
Forbes online featured Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally, a 1969 graduate.
Lawrence named one of smartest cities in ...
Lawrence ranked above Cambridge, Mass., home of Harvard University, but fell short ...
KU alumna appears on TV show
Joanna Pergande talks about her experience appearing on “Who wants to Be ...
KU graduate’s photo lands on magazine
Picture taken at the Wakarusa festival was selected to be on the ...
From unknown blogger to sports writing superstar
KU graduate Josh Fisher made his meteoric climb to the top covering ...
Business school names new dean
KU alumna Neeli Bendapudi will take over as dean of the School ...
KU Info continues to evolve
KU Info has answered your questions for 30 years. Now you can ...
University noted for enrollment
Baby Jay dances at the Statehouse
The University was represented Wednesday in Topeka by 20 organizations, Baby Jay ...
KU alumna working on third novel
Author Karen Stolz credits professor and guest speakers for inspiring her writing
Roles of former KU players change as ...
Aldrich and Chalmers may not have topped NBA stat sheets Friday, but ...
SELF group selling pancakes for charity
The engineering leadership group is holding its annual “Flapjacks for Philanthropy” Saturday.
Libraries bring awareness to Banned Books Week
Library employees publicly read from oft-banned books, including “The Color Purple.”
Libraries, students take advantage of book collecting ...
The Snyder Book Collecting Contest has been a KU tradition for 54 ...
Presentation to discuss stereotypes about black women
A group of students will hold presentation to discuss positive and negative ...
Keeping up appearances
Fancy cremes and badger brushes—it’s not always easy preservin’ your sexy.
Alumna to appear on ‘Millionaire’ today
2006 graduate said she was starstruck.
Protestor still stands for beliefs
After being expelled from the University of Kansas, Caroljean Brune now works ...
Designer student named Best of Show
Class work wins KU artist honor of publication in a national magazine.
Law School among best for clinical learning
University of Kansas School ranks in the top-twenty nationally for hands-on learning ...
The man behind the frying pan
Jim Carroll, induction cook at GSP, is a lifelong cook with a ...
Grad student promotes work on C-SPAN 2
Through teaching and journalism, grad student fights stereotypes and underrepresentation of American ...
A look at KU's changing face of ...
University's turbulent past has evolved into a somewhat tranquil state of activism.
Studio 804 builds first LEED platinum house ...
The house, finished last May includes a wind turbine and 24 solar ...
Erickson: Playboy's exploitation of women needs attention
Linebacker receives offer from Kansas
Kansas continues extending early scholarship offers to recruits.
Graduate uses photos to save lives
Former student holds competition to raise money for wells in Africa.
Thornbrugh: What book Western Civ should have ...
Minority engineering programs celebrate 40 years
Students faculty and alumni gathered on Saturday to honor the 40th anniversary ...
Degrees of success: athletes after college
College athletes' payment is their degree. But what if they never get ...
Friends, family remember student Jana Mackey
The KU graduate was remembered as being beautiful, intelligent and and an ...
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
KUnited presidential candidate Libby Johnson and vice presidential ...
1 comment
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID