"Women Driving Change" will be the theme for the 10th annual "Play of the Mind" conference at Saint Mary's this weekend. Ten colleges from across the nation will be sending representatives to campus for conference, which celebrates women's leadership.

Each school will send a team made up of a faculty member, an administrator, and two students. During the conference, Saint Mary's will provide host teams to lead discussions and team members to interact with the host and visiting teams.

"The opportunity to interact with women from small liberal arts schools is unique especially because it includes faculty, students, and administrators," said Georgeanna Rosenbush, student activities director. "It is a very interesting experience for everyone involved."

The conference begins Thursday with an opening celebration and keynote presentation that includes all participants. The presentation this year is entitled "The Burden of Leadership: Driving Change in Changing Times."

Friday's scheduled activities include more discussions that will enable students to talk within their groups on many different issues.

Additional functions will separate students from faculty and administrators to discuss themes surrounding "the two cultures and the task of leadership development."

All participants will complete Friday's activities with a discussion called "Sharing the Vision: Naming the Issues."

"This is a great opportunity to look at the women who came before us, women in the present, and what the future holds for women," said Rosenbush.

Saturday's first event is a discussion entitled "In Dreams begin responsibilities: Ideas into action." During the afternoon, teams will celebrate the women who came before them in "Postcard From the Edge: Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Legacies," a display that features women driving change. Next, teams will draw up plans to put their new found knowledge to work in their own communities in "Driving the Change: Plans for Moving Ahead." This will be followed by a discussion titled, "Changing our Colleges, Changing Ourselves."

Following Saturday's closing dinner celebration, there will be an open microphone at Dalloway's clubhouse.

On Sunday, all participants are invited to celebrate Mass.

"Students will walk away with a better feeling about themselves," said Rosenbush. "Students gain confidence from this experience."

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