In celebration of RU’s presidential inauguration, phenomenal women Maya Angelou, Jehan Sadat and Anne Holton came together to discuss women’s leadership and to answer questions from students.

RU's sixth president, Penelope W. Kyle, served as moderator for the symposium "Women's Leadership in a Global Society" and noted the appropriateness of the discussion given RU’s installation of its first woman president earlier in the day.

Although Sadat and Angelou both spent time at RU as Distinguished Visiting Professors in the 1980s, they had never met. As they came together to share words of wisdom and reflect on the life-changing moments that have shaped who they are today, they seemed as pleased to meet each other as the audience was to meet them. In her opening remarks Holton, who expressed profusely her thrill at sharing the stage with such icons, let the audience in on a backstage moment. Soon after Sadat and Angelou met, she said, the two became deeply involved in conversation — in Arabic.

What followed was a compelling look into the historic lives of three inspiring women. They responded to student questions selected from more than 100 that had been submitted and offered advice to the packed auditorium of students, faculty, staff and inauguration guests. Sharing anecdotes that were poignant and at times humorous, they each drew applause and cheers for their candid and insightful discourse.

Holton, the First Lady of Virginia and a former judge who has devoted her career to serving as an advocate for Virginia's families and children, expressed her optimism about the world's future because of the influence of women. All women have different gifts and can contribute. Women, she said, have their own leadership qualities, different from men’s, that can be brought to the table in solving important issues. She cautioned that women should "be careful in trying to be equal, so that we don't let being equal mean that we're trying to be the same."

She cited her father, former Virginia Governor Linwood Holton, as being one of the most influential people in her life. From his leadership as governor, especially during the racial integration of public schools in the Commonwealth, she took away life lessons that have had an impact on her life and career in public service. In 1998, Holton was appointed to a judgeship in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court in Richmond. She was also active on the Virginia Child Support Guideline Review Panel and the Advisory Committee for the Virginia Court Improvement Program, focusing on foster care and adoption issues.

Sadat, the former First Lady of Egypt and lifelong social justice activist, stressed the importance of education. She believes illiteracy is the toughest barrier facing women today. "Women cannot do what they want to do without education. Education is the best thing to give to women," said Sadat.

She shared a stirring recollection of the events surrounding the assassination of her husband, Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. October 6 marked the 25th anniversary of his death, yet her memory of that day was crisp as she recalled the historic events.

Sadat spoke of the victory parade marching through Cairo. There were sounds of air force jets flying overhead, the cheers and celebration of the crowd, and then the piercing sound of gunfire. As she observed through the window of a nearby building, Sadat was pushed to the floor by a soldier attempting to protect her and her family. Bullets were coming in the direction of the window, yet she tried to peek through, but could not see her husband. Her thoughts immediately shifted to her small grandchildren, whom President Sadat had insisted should be in attendance. After seeing that her family was taken home to safety, she visited the hospital where her husband had been taken after being shot. He died within hours of arrival. Again, Sadat thought beyond herself and focused on the immediate needs of Egypt, which had lost its leader. She went to her husband's vice president Hosni Mubarak, who had also been injured during the attack, and told him he must go take care of Egypt. Only later, with her children, did she succumb to her wrenching grief.

Her husband's legacy drives her as she continues their shared mission of peace and remains active in humanitarian efforts for women and children. "All of us have the potential to affect in a positive way the lives of others. There are no term limits on working together and giving service to others," said Sadat.

As she read an English translation of a love poem she had written for her husband early in their marriage, Sadat allowed the audience to grasp the depth of their love. In a powerful exchange of mutual respect and admiration, Maya Angelou requested a copy of the poem so that she might reflect upon it. Sadat quietly slid her poem across the table to Angelou.

In response to the question "How can women lead?" best-selling author and poet Angelou gave an impromptu performance of her poem Woman Work, a timeless expression of the tireless routine of a woman's workday. "The truth is, women, we have always led," she said. "Some of us have been intelligent enough to let the other group think they are leading." Angelou echoed Sadat in stressing the importance of education and added, "All knowledge is spendable currency, depending on the market." She said education is an ally and encouraged women to use their intelligence.

One student’s question referred to women’s propensity to change the way they express themselves when in the company of powerful men. How can we change that? the student asked. Angelou’s immediate response, again, was “Education.” The more you know, she explained, the more confident you will be. On the other hand, she added, women have always known how to change their communication styles according to their audience — you speak one way to a baby and another to your friend, for example. If you need to change the way you express your message to men for them to understand it, then it’s all right to do that.

As an educator and civil rights activist, Angelou continues to address issues of race and class. She said the mark that she would be most proud to leave on the world is the understanding that "human beings are more alike than we are unalike."