Equal Pay Day Takes Center Stage at Towson University

Omolemo Kale

Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer

In honor of women’s history month, Towson University organized a consortium of women to discuss their experiences with pay inequity, and it is essential. From Maryland’s first female Comptroller Brooke Liermann’s keynote speech to the rounds of workshops on salary negotiations, interviewing, and resumes, the TU students and staff members received active help and understanding of why equal pay matters.

The assistant director of financial well-being at Towson University, Jonas Sheckler, was the leading coordinator for the entire event, with support from the Towson Career Center, the Office of Institutional Inclusion and Equity, the Hill-Lopes Scholars Program, MentHER, and the Center for Student Diversity. Speaking with the Baltimore Watchdog, at the event Sheckler said, “I was really happy that we were able to get the Comptroller here to speak today and I think her speech was really impactful and in general all the speakers had really great information, really great data. And I’ve heard nothing but good things from everybody on the speakers.”

One of the speakers, Adeola Ajani CEO of Fem Equity in her speech at the event shared her W.O.R.T.H Strategy. The acronym spelling out “worth” led Adeola to communicate her message letter by letter: Write down your goals, optimize opportunities, renegotiate always, transform with action, and honor your hustle.

“You have to do these things in order to level up,” Adeola said.

After Adeola’s speech, the American Association of University Women had a panel discussion on pay equity. Lunch was served in the multipurpose room with some refreshments.

To conclude the event, two separate workshops were held on Salary Negotiations, Resumes, and Interviewing.

“Pay equity impacts everybody whether you are black, or white, or disabled, or able-bodied. Pay equity is important for everybody and I’m really glad that we were able to have the inaugural event of equal payday at Towson to bring attention, awareness, and education.” Jonas said in the closing speech.