Issue date: 3/22/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Emily Buerger Dr. Antoinette Iadarola, president of Cabrini College, is one of the many women that hold a leadership position at the college. Women are not only moving up in the workplace, but in education as well. As of 2005, 26.1 million women, 25 or older, have a bachelor's degree or more, which is more than double the number of 20 years ago.

While past female leaders paved the path for women to gain equality and leadership, today's women are stepping up to fill the gap between men and women. Women worldwide are demanding equality and fulfilling leadership roles in the workplace and in academics.

Women have filled more than half of the United States jobs created in the first part of the decade and they have secured the most lucrative openings, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Overall, men gained 1,804,000 jobs and women 1,996,000, or 52.5 percent of the total increase, for the period studied.

Dr. Antoinette Iadarola, president of Cabrini College, said, "It was hard for women."

While Iadarola and many other women have worked their way up into leadership positions, the 21st century has seen other female leaders bridge the gap between men and women. Condoleezza Rice made a leap for women when she was appointed as the first female African- American to be the secretary of state in 2005. In 2007, another step for women was taken as Nancy Pelosi became the first woman speaker of the House. Also, Hillary Rodham Clinton is trying to help break the nation's highest glass ceiling by becoming the first female president for the 2008 presidential election, according to the Washington Post."

Beth Briggs, a freshman psychology and sociology major, said, "We're past due for a female running.

Iadarola sided with Briggs as she said, "It's a travesty we even have to say that. I'd like to see more women in political life.

Like many other women, Iadarola had to work her way to the top. She recalled a time when she had written an article at Oxford University and it had gone to the public for critiquing. Iadarola was told by her mentor not to publish her first name since women had difficulty establishing their names. At the time, men were the only people considered to have writing that was worthy for the public. After Iadarola's article made it to the public, many informed her mentor that the man who wrote the article did credible work. The critiques were favorable. After the public accepted Iadarola's piece, her first name was released.

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