Fordham University President Tania Tetlow spoke about her experience as a woman in the professional world during the Common Grounds Conversation at the Lincoln Center campus on Thursday, March 7.
Numerous campus groups, including Campus Ministry Pedro Arrupe Volunteers, Alpha Sigma Nu and Smart Women Securities, sponsored the panel where Tetlow spoke to attendees about women’s leadership in the Ignatian tradition.
The panel, moderated by Vanessa Retundo, deputy chief of staff, opened with Tetlow sharing her experience and past that led to her taking over as president of Fordham. Tetlow attended Tulane University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in American studies, and later graduated from Harvard Law School. After years of working as a federal prosecutor, focusing on issues of constitution and race, she learned “how to grapple with ways the truth can be clouded by biases.” However, she shared that she “always felt the pull of academia,” which led to her going into education.
Tetlow shared her experience working as the chief of staff for the president of Tulane University, where she learned the ropes of higher education’s operations. Tetlow served as the president of Loyola University New Orleans for four years before coming to Fordham in 2022.
Tetlow shared that Lindy Boggs influenced her as a person over the years. Boggs, a past politician who served in the House of Representatives and as United States Ambassador to the Holy See, was the first woman elected to Congress from Louisiana following the death of her husband, Thomas Hale Boggs, Sr..
Tetlow wrote Boggs a letter at the ripe age of 16 years old, simply telling her she was an inspiration and that she “wanted to be her” when she grew up. To Tetlow’s surprise, Boggs replied and invited Tetlow to meet, later offering her an internship at her office. Tetlow learned from Boggs, attending numerous Democratic conventions, dinners and events. When Boggs retired, she hired Tetlow part time as her sole staff member. “I learned so many profound things [from Boggs],” Tetlow said to the panel. “Social capital, how to navigate the world… She was full of love and passion.” Tetlow shared that Boggs “raised my expectations of myself, the world and what I could do.”
“I’m just me looking out through my eyes,” said Tetlow in response to a question about what it’s like to be the first woman president of Fordham University. “How the world reacts to me is something I don’t worry about.” Tetlow shared that the role of president comes with a sense of service and sacrifice, which she said are traits typically associated with women. She said she found the transition to president at Fordham easy and comfortable.
Tetlow shared that there are challenges as a female leader, and we all need to acknowledge perspectives and thoughts that act as blinders from seeing the truth. She shared that all people must work to assume good intentions and not jump to conclusions.
“There are stereotypes that are applied to [females], hilariously the mirror of each other,” Tetlow shared, explaining the “tightrope” between being frigid and cold and hysterical and dramatic, between being too young and too old. “People see you through these filters,” she said.
In regards to gender bias, Tetlow stated that it should never get in the way of achieving goals. “We need to acknowledge [gender bias] exists… Our lives are hard but others lives are harder,” she said, stating that any hardships people face must be learned from and not dished out to others.
Another challenge Tetlow stated she faced as a female leader was being underestimated. “People assume they know you,” she said. She highlighted the comparison that there are also hardships to being socialized as a man, giving the example of men not being seen as fit to parent or not being able to express emotions openly.
“Ambition is not deemed attractive in women,” said Tetlow. “I wanted to cut through that.” Tetlow expressed the importance of understanding the gifts you are blessed with, highlighting it is not egotistical to do so. “Your job is to use them in the world and constantly challenge yourself… Your ambition is for the world, not you,” Tetlow said.
Closing the talk, Tetlow expressed that one mark she wishes to leave at Fordham is hoping the student body learns to “focus on mattering to the world.” Many worry about chasing status and success, but should instead focus on what impact they can make on the world.
