Talk of education turned to talk of post-school leadership as students, council members and administrators gathered at the Barnard Student Government Association’s first town hall of the year on Monday night.

With new Barnard President Debora Spar, Dean of the College Dorothy Denburg, and Dean of Studies Karen Blank in attendance, students and faculty sounded off over dinner and dessert in the James Room on ways to better train future graduates in life skills and leadership roles. Though the event was designed as a forum to discuss the merits of all-women’s education, conversation eventually turned to the new Barnard Leadership Initiative and ways to improve it.

The Barnard Leadership Initiative is the college’s recent effort to ready its students for “positions of leadership and authority in our society,” as described on the Barnard Web site. The program has both curricular and co-curricular components, and blends classes, lectures, events, and activities to teach women to lead more effectively.

SGA Vice President of Communications Katie Palillo, BC ’10, was a big supporter of the program, which she described as “vital” to Barnard. She also praised the variety of students at the town hall. “It kind of testified to the importance of the event,” she said.

SGA President Sarah Besnoff, BC ’09, said Spar’s presence and participation were indicators that the program was fully on the president’s radar screen.

“It’s clear that it’s [the Barnard Leadership Initiative] something that President Spar is working to ... expand,” Besnoff said.

According to attendee Katie Martin-Browne, BC ’10, the initiative could benefit from broader publicity— but Martin-Browne did find Spar’s presence “encouraging.”

alix.pianin@columbiaspectator.com