DALLAS TWP. — Featuring topics that include gender equality, women’s achievements and the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Misericordia University faculty from a variety of academic disciplines are collaborating on a series of events to celebrate Women’s History Month in March. The events are sponsored by the Soyka Fund for the Humanities and are open to the public for free.
The series begins Wednesday, March 13, with the program, “Celebrating Women’s Achievements,” from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Catherine Evans McGowan Room of the Mary Kintz Bevevino Library. It features student displays and presentations celebrating women’s creativity and achievements in diverse fields. Rebecca Steinberger, Ph.D., professor of English, and Sara Tavela, Ph.D., assistant professor of English, will serve as facilitators.
Also on March 13, a film highlighting the life and career of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be presented at 7 p.m. in the McGowan Room of the Bevevino Library. Kathleen “Kit” Foley, vice president of Student Life, will provide the introduction. Light refreshments will be available.
A “Contemporary Women’s Issues” forum on Thursday, March 14 at 12:30 p.m. in the McGowan Room of the Bevevino Library will feature a panel of Misericordia University staff and faculty. Moderated by Marnie Hiester, Ph.D., professor of psychology, among the topics that will be discussed are human trafficking, women, leadership and mentoring, women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), and mental work/mental load for women at home and work.
Melanie Shepherd, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy, will moderate, “Public Forum on Gender Equality,” on Wednesday, March 20 at 5 p.m. in Huntzinger and Alden Trust Rooms 218-219 of Sandy and Marlene Insalaco Hall.
The series concludes Monday, March 25, with the program, “Eight Women Who Changed the World,” featuring 10-minute presentations by Misericordia University faculty on eight influential women in their respective academic fields. Amanda Caleb, Ph.D., associate professor of English and director of the Medical and Health Humanities Program, will facilitate the event scheduled for 7 p.m. in the McGowan Room of the Bevevino Library.
The presenters and their subjects ar: Dr. Caleb, “Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler”; Dr. Steinberger, “Emilia Lanier”; Dr. Hiester, “Mamie Phipps Clark”; Maureen Pascal, P.T., D.P.T., associate professor, physical therapy, “Berta Bobath”; Beth Haas, Ph.D., assistant professor, chemistry, “Katsuko Saruhashi”; Melissa Sgroi, Ed.D., department chair, mass communications and design, “Ida Tarbell”; Corina N. Slaff, Ph.D., director, graduate business programs, “Mary T. Barra,” and Rachel Urbanowicz, M.A., assistant professor, mass communications and design, “Edmonia Lewis.”
Dr. Crumpler (1831-1895) was the first African-American woman to earn an M.D. in the United States; Lanier (1569-1645) was an English poet and possibly the “Dark Lady” of Shakespeare’s sonnets, and Clark (1917-1983) was a psychologist who conducted the “doll experiments” about internalized racism. Bobath (1907-1991) was a physiotherapist who developed a method (the Bobath Concept) to treat neurologically impaired patients, and Saruhashi (1920-2007) was a geochemist whose research contributed to understandings about the spread of nuclear fallout and the effects of global warming. Lastly, Tarbell (1857-1944) was a “muckraker” and pioneer of American investigative journalism; Barra (1961-___), is chairwoman and CEO of General Motors and the first female CEO of a major global automaker, and Lewis (1844-1907) was an African-American and Native American sculptor famous for “The Death of Cleopatra.”
Empowerment-themed stickers and T-shirts will be on sale for $1 and $10 at the events with proceeds benefitting the Catherine McAuley House shelter for women and children operated by the Sisters of Mercy in Plymouth. Professor Urbanowicz is organizing the project.
