Mercy Scholar Shines at Leadership Conference for College Women

By her own admission, Tashauna Wynter ’25, has high expectations of herself. With her sights set on a career as a physician assistant (PA), Wynter is currently excelling as a Mercy Scholar in the pre-PA program, serves as vice president of the Black Student Union, and works in the Mav Market, Mercy’s Food and Resource Pantry. “Some of my friends call me an overachiever, but to me, that’s just me wanting to succeed and make myself proud,” she said.

In May, guided by her Mercy mentors and her own aspirations, Wynter joined hundreds of college women from around the country at the National Conference for College Women Student Leaders. The three-day leadership event, held near Washington, D.C., offers college women the tools and inspiration they need to make an impact on their campus and in their community. “I’m always looking for new opportunities to grow and expand my educational palate, and I’m very interested, as a black woman, in learning more about how women step into leadership roles,” she said. 

Wynter learned of the conference from Robert Cornetta, associate director of PACT for Mercy Scholars. Cornetta put her in touch with Joi Sampson, Ed.D., Mercy’s director of academic engagement, equity and inclusion, who guided her in making the most of the conference. The results were transformative. 

“Dr. Sampson encouraged me to take advantage of every opportunity,” said Wynter, who mustered the courage to introduce herself to keynote speaker Minda Harts, author of The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Secure a Seat at the Table. Wynter also remains in contact with the student leaders and successful professional women she met at the conference. “It was a great educational experience, and it gave me a wave of good feeling,” said Wynter. “I worked so hard last year, and I really needed the boost I got from this conference.”