Executive Vice Chancellor Janet Murguia to speak at Garden City conference

LAWRENCE -- University of Kansas Executive Vice Chancellor for University Relations Janet Murguia will give the keynote address for a daylong Latina Women's Leadership Conference at Garden City Community College on Saturday, Feb. 23.

The conference is the outcome of a National Center for Outreach grant to Smoky Hills Public Television to respond to community needs for educational and leadership opportunities and encouragement for Hispanic women.

Murguia, who grew up in the Mexican-American neighborhood of Argentine in Kansas City, Kan., is in her first year as KU's executive vice chancellor for university relations -- a new top post at the university to oversee public affairs and public relations for all KU campuses.

Before coming to KU, Murguia served as deputy campaign manager and director of constituency outreach for the Gore/Lieberman presidential campaign. Prior to the campaign, she worked at the White House in various capacities beginning in 1994. She was deputy assistant to the president and deputy director of legislative affairs, serving as the senior White House liaison to Congress.

In addition to her address in Garden City, Murguia will visit several other communities in western Kansas, meeting with alumni and prospective students. She will speak to Hispanic students at Goodland High School at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

Murguia holds three degrees from KU: a juris doctorate from the law school, a bachelor of science in journalism from the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications, and a bachelor of arts in Spanish from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Smoky Hills Public Television, which covers 52 counties in central and western Kansas, is partnering with several other organizations to produce the conference: the Garden City Council of the League of United Latin American Citizens, High Plains Public Radio, and the Multicultural Committee of the Garden City Chamber of Commerce.

"The project was designed to address the leadership and professional needs of the Latino population that has been established in the Finney County area for several generations as well as to address the basic needs of the immigrant population, including introduction to services such as health care issues, child care services, educational opportunities, municipal issues and career services," said Kristy Nyp, director of communications and marketing for SHPTV.

In addition to Murguia's keynote address, the conference will include various panel discussions and lectures on such topics as bilingual education, cultural awareness, political and social involvement, and family history.

The $15 registration fee for the conference includes a luncheon at the GCCC Student Center Heritage Room. Participants can register until Wednesday, Feb. 20, by contacting SHPTV or the Garden City Chamber of Commerce or High Plains Public Radio in Garden City.

For more information call SHPTV at (785) 483-6990, ext. 128, or e-mail Kristy Nyp.