If you are a Saluki woman looking for the secrets to success, seek no further.

The Women Excelling in Leadership and Learning Registered Student Organization will hold its first workshop of the semester at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Student Center Delta Room.

The theme, “Success for the College Woman”, will include presentations by women in leadership positions at the university.

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While more than 90 percent of secretarial positions have been held by women, a majority of faculty and administrative positions, including executive and managerial, have been held by men for the past 13 years, according to the university factbook.

Melinda Yeomans, faculty advisor for the WELL RSO, said the mission of the organization is to help women become independent, well-rounded leaders.

“We want the best particularly for women on this campus in terms of knowing who they are and knowing what they deserve,” Yeomans said. “And just knowing that their potential is unlimited and their value is priceless.”

Megan Peterson, a junior from Normal studying psychology and physiology, president of the RSO, said the Women’s Resource Center helped her make friends after having trouble her first two years at the university.

“Having other people that are in the same situation as me really helped to bring me out as a person and want to step up,” she said. “The most important part is gaining allies with other women.”

Andrea Baldwin, a graduate assistant for the resource center, said the RSO will also present an open discussion panel about the popular Netflix series “Orange Is The New Black” in October.

She said the panel will focus on analyzing the female centric issues in the show, and was inspired by “OITNB” actress and LGBTQ advocate Laverne Cox’s lecture at SIU-Edwardsville on Oct. 22.

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“One of the great things that I think OITNB does is it brings up lots of issues for women in terms of gender, sexuality, aging and disability all in a confined space,” she said.

Baldwin said she is working on acquiring a charter bus for students to attend the event. She said students interested in attending should contact the Center for Inclusive Excellence once promotion begins.

WELL Wednesdays will continue once a week at the same time and place until Thanksgiving break. Future themes will range from resume writing, sexual health and financial advice.

A free yoga class will precede each workshop at 4:30 p.m.

Marissa Novel can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter @marissanovelDE or at 536-3311 ext. 268.