In this issue...

Leading in Adversity:
A Message from the MHI President, Teresa Carale

Feature Article
Women Helping Women: The Rosedale Center for Girls  
 
Women Transforming Culture
Do you have a minute?  
By Allison Elliott
 
Cultural Corner
Coming This Spring: There Be Dragons
By Alice Trimmer

News and Upcoming Events

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Spring 2011 Newsletter

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Murray Hill Institute Newsletter
Spring 2011
Vol. 8 No. 2

News and Upcoming Events
Murray Hill Institute Leadership Seminars

“Bring Out the Leader in You,” the leadership seminar series launched last fall will wind up its inaugural season on Saturday, April 2, 2011.  Karen Wagner, Director, Client Credit Group, Corporate and Investment Banking Division at Societe Generale, will lead a workshop on “Communicating with Confidence: Negotiating Based on Strengths.”  Join us for a lively interactive workshop on a skill that is critical for nearly all professional situations.  For information on registration, click here.

The second seminar in the series, “Personal Finance: Taking Charge of Your Financial Future” was given on February 5, 2011.  Arisleyda Riehl, a Financial Advisor for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Group, spoke about the unique challenges to financial security that women face today.  Women generally earn less than men, but live longer, which means their assets have to work harder for longer.   This earning inequality puts women at a disadvantage when planning for retirement because lower earnings mean lower contributions to retirement plans and therefore, less money for income at retirement.  As longevity increases, the retirement years increase as well. The question then is: Will what you’ve saved support you throughout retirement? Another critical challenge for women is spending fewer years in the workforce.  Women typically leave the workforce more often than men, and this can come at a financial cost.

Arisleyda identified concrete steps you can take to meet these challenges:

1. Identify and prioritize your goals.

2.  Develop a realistic budget.  Examine your spending habits. Ask yourself: What is my attitude toward savings and how does this attitude affect my spending patterns?

3.  Set aside some money as an “emergency reserve” in case you lose your job, get sick, or have a large unexpected expense. 

4.  Pay off your debts, especially those debts from credit cards with high interest rates.

5. Develop a savings strategy .  Make a commitment today to regularly invest some part of your income,no matter how little, into your long-term future. 

For more information on financial planning, visit Arisleyda’s website.   

Plan now to attend the seminars in Year 2 of this series.  Topics covered will be:  Strategic Approach to Time Management (September 2011), You Can Achieve Work-Life Balance (November 2011), Winning Workplace Dress and Style (February 2012), and Create a Welcoming Apartment Look (April 2012).  Final dates will be posted on our website soon.

Culture and Core Beliefs Series: Jennifer Bryson

Jennifer Bryson, Director of the Islam and Civil Society Program at the Witherspoon Institute, Princeton, NJ, will speak on “Islam: Basics and Beyond” at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at Murray Hill Institute.  In her talk, Dr. Bryson will give a basic introduction to Islam, including the key historical events, basic doctrines, and core values.  She will include an overview of some of the trends in modern Islam, and the debates about interpretation and practice of Islam.  This lecture is the 11th in MHI’s popular Culture and Core Beliefs Series.  For further details, including a downloadable flyer and information on reservations, click here.

Young Professional Activities

Marie Dulev spoke to the MHI Young Professional group on November 17, 2010, on “Eating for Beauty.”  Marie, a health coach, shared her holist approach to wellness goals.  She covered a wide range of issues that affect us each day.  She stressed that everyone is unique and therefore, some diets may work for some but not others.  It's important to listen to your body to see what is working and what is not.  By noting patterns of cravings, we can learn to pre-empt them with healthier snack options.  She recommended avoiding extra sugar and chemicals in foods and using all-natural beauty products .

The MHI Christmas Musicale, hosted by the MHI Young Professional group and now in its third year, has grown by leaps and bounds.  On December 10, 2010, a group of nine professional and amateur musicians enjoyed sharing over an hour of solo and chamber music.  The evening ended with Christmas carols and an informal reception.