Oglethorpe’s women leaders inspire Lettie Pate Whitehead scholars

Lance Wallace
March 21, 2025

The benefit of being a Lettie Pate Whitehead (LPW) scholarship recipient goes beyond money for tuition. At Oglethorpe University, the 74 LPW scholars also have access to mentoring, coaching and special events designed to equip them with leadership skills and empower them to be assertive.

In celebration of Women’s History Month and in recognition of the 50-plus year partnership with the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation, Oglethorpe hosted a dinner for scholars that featured a panel of campus professionals moderated by psychology major and LPW scholar Cynthia Tinschmidt Leal ’27.

Colleen Donaldson, Human Resources manager, introduced the panelists and shared the history of the foundation and its relationship with Oglethorpe, one of the longest standing in higher education.

Four women sitting at a table on a dais with a woman at a podium on the right — The Lettie Pate Whitehead Women’s History Month panel featured The panel included (from right), moderator Cynthia Tinschmidt Leal, second year psychology major; Sheila Gonzalez, director of IT Networks and Systems; Dr. Michelle Lyn, director of the Counseling Center; Luetrell Langston, assistant director of facilities and campus operations; and Dr. Vivian Medrano, senior director of Student Success.

The panel included Sheila Gonzalez, director of IT Networks and Systems; Dr. Michelle Lyn, director of the Counseling Center; Luetrell Langston, assistant director of facilities and campus operations; and Dr. Vivian Medrano, senior director of Student Success.

Leal asked panelists to respond to a variety of questions highlighting leadership challenges women often face. They addressed defining moments in their leadership development, imposter syndrome, ensuring teams have representation from all groups, building relationships, self-care, setting boundaries and the temptation to take on too much.

“We need to be resilient,” Medrano said. “There’s a lot that happens to us. It’s hard to deal with sometimes if you sit down and think about all of it.”

Langston encouraged scholars to always be learning.

“Take every moment every day as a learning opportunity,” she said.

Lynn shared about her annual tradition of picking a word for of the year. Her word for 2025? “Enough.”

“You are enough,” she told the scholars. “Dream big but know that you are enough.”

A group of female college students and faculty and staff leaders in a group picture — The Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholars who attended the Women’s History Month dinner with the panelists.

Gonzalez who shared about her own struggle against imposter syndrome drove home the message that she and the scholars in attendance were not imposters and belonged in this space and all of the rooms they enter into as a leader.

“You are exactly where you need to be right now,” Gonzalez said.

The evening concluded with an activity led by Raquel Manzo, assistant director of First Generation & Student Support Programs. The scholars each received a small flowerpot with either a flower or cactus seeds. They wrote a word or phrase from the night on the tiny pots to help remind them of what they experienced.

Learn more about the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation.