The Women’s Center News
Spring  2014
Vol. 21, Issue 3

THE EIGHTH ANNUAL KENTUCKY WOMEN’S BOOK FESTIVAL
A Celebration of Women’s Reading and Writing Saturday, May 17, 2014
by Robin R. Harris, Law Library
On Saturday, May 17, 2014, from 9. a.m. until 3:30 p.m., the Ekstrom Library will come alive as Kentucky women writers and their readers meet to discuss and share ideas at the eighth Kentucky Women’s Book Festival. Those attending this annual event (most of which is free) will have the chance to hear a diverse group of award-winning writers, all with strong Kentucky connections. Each one of the eleven authors participating in this year’s KWBF was born in Kentucky, lived here for a significant amount of time, or lives here now. (And by the way, please do not confuse the KWBF with the Kentucky Women Writers Conference, which happens each fall in Lexington. The KWWC focuses on women writers, but not necessarily Kentucky women writers.) 
A wide range of talent is featured this year, including UofL’s own Sena Jeter Naslund (Ahab’s Wife, Four Spirits, Abundance, The Fountain of St. James Court); novelist, essayist and literary critic Bobbie Ann Mason (The Girl in the Blue Beret, In Country, Shiloh and Other Stories, An Atomic Romance); and novelist and poet George Ella Lyon (With a Hammer for My Heart, Many-Storied House). 
Hosted by the Women’s Center and University Libraries, the festival enjoys generous support from UofL’s LGBT Center and local authors group Women Who Write, as well as from local businesses Masterson’s and Carmichael’s Bookstore, and several community donors. Festival planners anticipate good crowds, based on attendance figures from the first seven festivals, and on positive evaluations from attendees of past festivals. 
The Ekstrom Library will open its doors at 9 a.m., when free coffee and snacks will be available in the lobby outside the Chao Auditorium, and presenters’ books will be for sale. (Book sales continue throughout the day.)
The “coffee time” before the presentations begin has proven quite popular, as participants enjoy the opportunity to mingle, network, and visit with friends.
George Ella Lyon will open the festival at 9:30 a.m. in the Chao, followed by Bobbie Ann Mason. Late morning sessions will feature novelist Allison Atlee (Typewriter Girl); activist, filmmaker, and poet Sonja de Vries (Stealing Lorca’s Bones); and Leborah Goodwin and Janene Winstead (Recipes & Recollections: A Tasteful African American History of Post- World War II Louisville).
The only ticketed event of the festival is a luncheon catered by Masterson’s at 12:15 p.m. in the library’s Silent Study Room. Luncheon tickets cost $16 and are available through the Women’s Center. Short-story writer (Girl Trouble) and novelist (The Next Time You See Me) Holly Goddard Jones will read from her work and answer questions from the audience. 
In her 1:15 p.m. talk, “Knowing the Self through Knowing the other,” Sena Jeter Naslund will focus on her newest novel, The Fountain of St. James Court; or, Portrait of the Artist as an Old Woman. Later afternoon sessions include a presentation by playwright Nancy Gall-Clayton and director Kathi E. B. Ellis, “When Characters Speak,” as well as a program about “Black Arts Movement Pride, Walker’s Womanism and Hillbilly Sisterhood:  the AAWLS in the 1990s” by journalist and activist Marian Williams.. 
Support for the Kentucky Women’s Book Festival has been growing every year. Please add your support by attending the Kentucky Women’s Book Festival on May 17 at Ekstrom Library. 
Visit the Kentucky Women Book Festival web site, http://louisville.edu/womenscenter/programs-events/community/kwbf, to find more information including details on the luncheon and the full schedule of festival presentations and activities.

Valentines for Vets 
The Women Student-Veteran Support Group gather at a “Valentines for Vets” event held this past February in the Administrative Annex Bldg. (The event hosted by the UofL Women’s Center provided gift bags and special roses for those in attendance). If you are a student veteran (Army/Navy/Air/Force/Marines/Coast Guard) or a woman serving on Active Duty, Reserves, or the National Guard and would like to become involved, call the UofL Women’s Center at 852-8976 or email Phyllis M. Webb, phyllis.webb@louisville.edu

Congratulations to Graduating Seniors 
The Women’s Center congratulates members of the Women 4 Women Student Board who will be graduating this May:  Emma Chapman, B.S. in Business Administration (BSBA); Ayanna Eley, B.S. in Marketing and Entrepreneurship; Graduate students, Ashley Wimsett and  Melissa Bagley who will both receive Masters degrees in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. They will wear the W4W honor cords with their caps and gowns. Congratulations!

Message from the Interim Director 
Welcome to the Women’s History Month edition of the UofL Women Center’s Newsletter. We are so fortunate to have the support of the Newsletter Editorial Board who brings you this excellent and informative quarterly newsletter. Without their knowledge, creative contributions and dedication, women’s voices would not be heard as clearly on campus and in the community. We are so proud of the work they do and the quality newsletter they produce. 
This semester we have many exciting campus and community events and programs to share with you. Our Women 4 Women Student Group has grown and strengthened to the point that they received approval from the W4W parent organization and SGA to restructure into a full Student Board with an application process for membership. Members of the Board take leadership roles and produce programs and initiatives on campus and in the community. Allowing students to create and produce programs of interest to them helps them thoroughly understand the issues and cultivates their leadership and organizational skills. These are skills that translate well into any career and will help them become leaders regardless of their career path. 
We are also fortunate to have a dedicated committee who annually produce the highly regarded Kentucky Women’s Book Festival. Highlights of the KWBF are covered in this newsletter and complete details are available at its web site. I hope you will be able to attend! 
Emma Chapman, President of the W4W Student Board, led a committee in January which produced the highly successful Human Trafficking Awareness Conference. The Conference, which was open to the public, featured keynote speakers from local and national organizations and included a moving testimonial from a trafficking survivor. The event gained the attention of the Kentucky Opera who announced a new opera, “Woman in Morocco,” to be produced in October, and of the Mayor’s Compassionate City Committee and Greater Louisville Inc., who offered their endorsement. Details and pictures are on the Women Center’s website at http://louisville.edu/womenscenter/programs-events/community/humantraffickingawarenessconference. 
Women 4 Women Student Board member, Aaisha Hamid and her committee produced a Cultural Awareness event in February in honor of International Women’s Day. Pictures of this fun day are on our web site. Plans are currently underway for the second bi-annual Kentucky College Women’s Leadership Conference. I hope you will join us for all or our events and provide us feedback on our events and programs.

2014 Women’s History Month Calendar of Events
Exhibits • Lectures • Conferences • Workshops • Festivals • Meetings
The National Women’s History Project (NWHP) has announced “Celebrating Women of Character, Courage & Commitment” as the 2014 national theme for Women’s History Month.
For several years, the UofL Women’s Center has provided a listing of campus and community events in celebration of Women’s History Month as well as related events beyond the month of March. Unless noted, all the events will take place at the University of Louisville.  Please note that dates and times of events may change, so check with the contact person and/or call the telephone number listed with each event prior to attending.
Thanks to all the event sponsors for their commitment to women’s equality.
Month long events 
(on-going events for March)
Individual meetings with currently enrolled student-moms and/ or student-parents will take place in the UofL Women’s Center during the month of March, by appointment only. (This is an opportunity to meet with a member of the Women’s Center staff on an individual basis.) Call 852-8976 to schedule an appointment.
Special Announcement: UofL Women’s Center on-site location: UofL Health Sciences Center Instructional Building, room #120; 2nd & 4th Thursdays, March 13 and 27; April 10 and 24 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.; Fridays, March 7 and 21; April 11 and 25 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Appointments preferred. Call 852-8891 (HSC) or 852-8976 (Belknap) for more information.
Women’s History Month Display, including the permanent “Kentucky Women Remembered” Exhibit, Kentucky State Capitol, Frankfort, Ky., Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
The “Kentucky Women Remembered” exhibit honors Kentucky women who have made a difference in Kentucky history. The Kentucky Commission on Women will profile a woman from the KWR Exhibit each day in March on its listserv. For more information, visit: http://www.women.ky.gov/or call (502) 564-2611.

Sunday, March 2
Distinctive Women Expo: “Celebrating Women of Character, Courage and Commitment”
12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Holiday Inn, Hurstbourne Parkway.
This event, sponsored by the Distinctive Women-Entrepreneurial Women Making a Difference, is to showcase and support women-owned, small businesses. There will be networking, music and fun; plus door prizes. For cost and vendor opportunities, visit: http://www.mydistinctivewomen.com and click on events.

Monday, March 3-Tuesday, April 1
“Fibers of the Soul—New Paintings on Fabric by Joan Zehnder” Art Exhibition, Wayside Expressions Gallery, Hotel Louisville, 120 West Broadway. Gallery hours: Mondays-Fridays, 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Opening reception on Friday, March 7 (5 p.m. – 8 p.m.); 2nd reception on Sunday, March 16 (2 p.m. – 4 p.m.)

Tuesday, March 4 
Classical & Modern Languages Carnival around the World, UofL Humanities Bldg. Quad; 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Various cultures will be celebrated with informational booths, international food, live music/performances and displays.

2013 Minx Auerbach Lecture, UofL School of Music (Comstock Auditorium), 5 p.m.
Community organizer, writer attorney, UrVashi Vaid will be the keynote for the Minx Auerbach Lecture in Women’s & Gender Studies. She will address, “Winning the Future: A Critical Look at the LGBT Movement.” Contact Nancy Theriot, nancyt@louisville.edu or call 852-8160 for additional information.
Women in Leadership Symposium: “Women Leaders as Architects of Change,” UofL, 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. For fees and details, visit: https://www.nationaldiversitycouncilregistration.org/ky/wil 

Wednesday, March 5
50th Anniversary Kentucky Civil Rights Commemorative March on Frankfort, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
The Ky. Commission on Human Rights and other members of the Allied Organizations for Civil Rights will march and rally in Frankfort in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary Civil Rights March to end segregation by becoming the first state (KY) south of the Mason-Dixon line to have a state Civil Rights Act. All those interested in participating should meet at the corner of Second Street and Capital Avenue at 9:30 a.m. to line up in order to proceed to the State Capitol, 700 Capitol Avenue, Frankfort, Ky.

Friday, March 7
Dress in Blue Day, March is national Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and all are encouraged to wear blue in support of the campaign to increase colon cancer awareness. We hope that you will wear blue and tell your friends and family why. If you or your organization would like Dress in Blue Day educational or promotional materials, please contact your local KCP office or visit: http://www.cancerprogram.org, or go to the Dress in Blue Day Facebook page, http://www.tinyurl.com/KCPWest for more information.
Equal Voices—Women’s Summit This summit sponsored by Louisville Metro Office for Women will feature morning and afternoon breakout sessions and various booths. KCTCS Hartford Building, 649 First St., Louisville (Free parking at JCTC). It’s free but registration is required. Register at http://surveymonkey.com/s/2014WomenSummit 
“Stirring the Fire” Exhibit in conjunction with International Women’s Day. Muhammad Ali Center, 144 N. Sixth St. This exhibit tells the stories of women from around the world who have achieved social & economic justice. Exhibit discussion, light hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. RSVP by March 3, mailto:RSVP@alicenter.org 

Thurs., March 6 – Sat.., March 8 
41st Dr. Joseph H. McMillan National Conference on the Black Family in America, Hilton Garden Inn, Crittenden Drive, Louisville, Ky.
(See schedule for list of specific topics and times.) The conference includes various speakers and panelists who will address the theme, Project Progress: “1963-2013—50 years of Progress and Struggles”: Where do we go from here?” For a complete conference schedule and registration details/cost, visit http://www.louisville.edu/culturalcenter/bfc.

Saturday, March 8
2nd Annual “Shining the Light on Female Veterans” Event (Banquet & Awards), Colvin Community Center, 230 Freedom Way, Radcliff, Ky., (Vendors, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Banquet/Awards, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. Speaker: Retired Air Force Colonel, Pamela Stevenson.
Email linay54.lr@gmail.com for more information.

Sunday, March 9
UofL/Yearlings Club Community Forum Series: A Conversation on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, 4 p.m.
A panel conversation about immigration issues and the impact on our community and nation. 
For more information, email Clest Lanier, cvlani01@louisville.edu, or call 852-3042.

Wednesday, March 12
Women Center Staff Forum for Physical Plant/Custodial Workers, Ekstrom Library (Chao Auditorium), 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Speaker: Paula McCraney, President/CEO of P Mc & Associates, on “Stress Management.”
VIP Roundtable Discussion, Hilliard Lyons (PNC Bank Building), 12th floor conference room, 500 West Jefferson. Hosparus event with special guest speaker Abbie Creed. Email Bob Mueller, bmueller@hosparus.org for more information.
NAWBO Lean-in Louisville Kick-Off Event, the Clifton Center, 2117 Payne St., 5 p.m. Networking; 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Program & Circle Forming

Thurs., March 13 – Friday, March 14
Women in Business Expo—Level the Playing Field, Galt House Hotel. Featuring keynote speakers, Alice Houston and Trisha Burke; luncheon, networking reception, registration and networking, workshops, etc. To register and for more details, visit: http://www.wbcky.org 
Hosted by the Women’s Business Center of Kentucky.

Tuesday, March 18
Caregiving Workshop, Ekstrom Library (Chao Auditorium). Topic: “Self-Care for the Caregiver” presented by Sharon E. Moore, Ph.D., 12 p.m. The Caregiver Workshop is designed to support those caring for another by providing important resources, inspiring group support and promoting self-care. Sponsored by the UofL Great Places to Work Initiative and Get Healthy Now.
The Kentucky Women Remembered Ceremony & Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Kentucky Commission on Women, Capitol Rotunda, 700 Capitol Ave., Frankfort, Ky., 1 p.m. 
Kentucky Governor and Mrs. Steven L. Beshear and the Kentucky Commission on Women will honor Marie Caldwell Humphries in the unveiling of the 2014 Kentucky Women Remembered Exhibit. Her portrait will become part of the permanent Women’s History Month display in the State Capitol Rotunda. Former Commission Chairs, members and Executive Directors will be recognized, a very special watercolor portrait will be unveiled, and there will be an exciting announcement by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Ky. Inc./Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, and the Commission on Women Foundation, Inc. RSVP by March 1. Call (502) 564-2611, ext. 319. 

Thursday, March 20
Women’s Center Staff Forum, #W210 Ekstrom Library, 12 p.m. Limited space available. (For UofL staff only). 
This informal forum is designed for women staff members to meet, network and discuss issues that matter to them. Reservations must be made the Monday before the event. Email Phyllis M. Webb at mailto:phyllis.webb@louisville.edu to reserve your spot.
Women’s Center Student Parent Association (SPA) Meeting, Administrative Annex Bldg., conference room, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Contact the group’s President, Whitney L. Wilson, mailto:wlclar05@louisville.edu or call 852-8976 to reserve your spot.  Bring another student-parent with you. Pizza and refreshments will be served.
This support group works to promote the academic success of the university’s student-parents; offer a support service and resources to student-parents who are pursuing a college degree and empower student-parents learn to balance their personal, social, academic and professional lives.

UofL Celebration of International Women’s Day, Miller Information Technology Building (Bigelow Hall), 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Co-sponsored by the UofL PEACC Office; UofL Women’s Center and other units/departments.
Each year around the world, International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 7. Thousands of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. This year’s theme is “Inspiring Change.” At UofL, the focus will be on inspiring change in mental health and well-being, with specific ways participants can learn to “do it myself.”Five interactive stations with invaluable tips, healthy food, music and networking will also be on site. Speaker will include Dr. Joyce Spurgeon, Women’s Mental Health Clinic. 
RSVP is required to attend. https://louisville.edu/peacc/forms/international-womens-day-registration
 
Saturday, March 22
“Women Veterans ROCK! Mid-West Women Veterans Retreat, University of Phoenix, (Louisville campus), 10400 Linn Station Road, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Theme: “Hear Our Voices.”
This event is a Leadership & Workforce Development Conference dedicated to connecting transitioning women veterans, Active Duty Service Women, Reservists, National Guard and military spouses to valuable, community-based resources and supportive service networks. For registration costs and more details, email mailto:MidWestRegion@WomenVetsRock.org. Co-sponsored in part by the UofL Women’s Center. 

Tuesday, March 25
Bluegrass Alliance for Women 8th Annual Legacy Award Luncheon, Clarion Hotel, Lexington, Ky., 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Speaker: Judge Pamela Goodwine, Fayette County Circuit Court. To register and cost details, email mailto:donnapenden@twc.com or mailto:marcum3@aol.com. 

Student Parent Association (SPA) Resume Writing Workshop, Career Development Center (lower level), Houchens Bldg., UofL, 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Join the SPA group and learn more about resume writing tips and careers from experts in the field. 

Friday, March 28
Deadline to receive nominations for the 2014 Unsung SHERO (in conjunction with the April 16 Transformation Tea (see April 16 calendar listing). For a nomination form, criteria and more details, email Kathryn Doaty, mailto:kfdoat01@louisville.edu, or Georgette Moore, mailto:glmoor01@louisville.edu.

Saturday, April 5
Ali Shuffle 10K Run (Start at the West End School, 3628 Virginia Ave. at 8 a.m. Finish at 144 N. Sixth St. The University of Louisville’s Muhammad Ali Institute for Peace and Justice is sponsoring this campus and community 10K run. Fundraising and volunteer opportunities are available. The registration fee includes a t-shirt. Register online at http://www.active.com or call 502-852-6372 for specifics.

United Nations Association of the United States of America (Ky. Division) Annual Meeting, University Club, UofL Belknap Campus, 200 East Brandeis St.. (Co-sponsored in part by the UofL Women’s Center). Speaker: Dr. Robert Hilgers, President & CEO, Women’s Global Cancer Alliance, on “The Dr. Bob Story; Cancer Prevention for Haitian Women.” Registration, 11:30 a.m. – 12 p.m., Talk begins at 12 p.m.

Tuesday, April 8
Equal Pay Day, Strickler Hall (lobby), Stop by the Women’s Center table and receive information about Equal Pay Day, free candy bars, buttons and stickers. This date symbolizes how far into 2014 women must work to earn what men earned in 2013.
Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men and women’s wages. Wear RED on Equal Pay Day to symbolize how far women and minorities are “in the red” with their pay.

Wednesday, April 9
Brown Cancer Center’s Mammography Unit, UofL Belknap campus (Gottschalk Circle, next to the Shumaker Research Bldg.), 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The UofL Women’s Center is partnering with the Brown Cancer Center to provide mammograms for UofL employees (for women 40 years and over). Call 852-6318 to schedule an appointment and for more information. The Ky. Cancer Program and UofL Women’s Center will also provide educational information inside the lobby of the SRB.

Wednesday, April 9
Self-Defense Workshop sponsored by the Women 4 Women Student Board & Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, new Student Recreation Center, West campus (West of Third Street), 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. For more information, email Ashley Wimsett, mailto:amwims01@gmail.com, or call 852-8976.

Wednesday, April 16
UofL Transformation Tea, #139, Shumaker Research Building, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. 
The Tea is an opportunity for university and community women of color to become empowered by sharing concerns, problems and positive suggestions. The topic is “Stepping Out: The Journey to Mental, Physical and Social Well-Being” and will include networking and the presentation of the SHEroes Award. (See March 28 listing.) Special guest speaker: Monnica T. Williams, Ph.D. Limited space. RSVP by Friday, April 4, to Georgette Moore, mailto:glmoor01@louisville.edu. 

Friday, April 18-Saturday, April 19
7th Annual UofL Relay for Life of Jefferson-University of Louisville
Start at the Student Activities Center (SAC), 2301 S. Third St., 6 p.m.
This is an opportunity to honor cancer survivors, remember those we have lost, and raise funds and awareness to fight back and help end cancer forever. For more details, visit: http://www.relayforlife.org/uofl 

Wednesday, April 23
Denim Day USA (campus wide) is an event in which people are encouraged to wear jeans in order to raise awareness of rape and sexual assault. Contact PEACC Office for buttons for you and/or your group. Join us for Volunteer Meetings at PEACC in the Student Service Annex. Contact PEACC at 852-2663 or peacc@louisville.edu. This event coincides with the Center for Women & Families Denim Day.

Thursday, March 27
UofL African American Theatre Program presents Civil War story “Mason Dixon” UofL Studio Arts Building, (Thrust Theatre), 8 p.m.
Lundeana Thomas, theatre professor and director of the African American Theatre program, and Rinda Frye, associate professor and department chair of theatre, will present Carolyn Gage’s “Mason-Dixon.” This will be the final performance at UofL for both Thomas and Frye as they plan to retire later this year. The play also serves as a fundraiser for a cultural exchange trip to Singapore for theatre students this spring. For ticket price and more information, visit: https://louisville.edu/theatrearts/AATP or https://louisville.edu/theatrearts/box-office 

Thurs., March 27-Sunday, March 30
Playwriting Workshop presented by Pulitzer Prize finalist, poet, actress & Playwright Dael Orlandersmith
In this 4-day workshop, Orlandersmith will work with participants as they craft individual scripts, UofL Studio Arts Bldg., (Thrust Theatre), 5 p.m.; on 3/30, plays will be staged in the same location, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. For ticket price and more details, visit: https://louisville.edu/theatrearts/box-office. 

MORE UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday, May 16
Pathways Women’s Conference, Founders Union, UofL Shelby Campus, Shelbyville Road, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 
The conference is a leadership development opportunity for all levels of University of Louisville women. The content of the program should address personal development, critical and strategic thinking, and personal goal- setting. Speakers will include Shirley Willihnganz, UofL Provost & Chief Executive Officer, and LaQuandra Nesbitt, SPHIS faculty member & Louisville Metro Dept. of Public Health & Wellness Director, plus more. For registration fees and more details, contact the Delphi Center for Teaching and Learning or email Melissa at mailto:m.shuter@louisville.edu. The conference is sponsored in part by the UofL Women’s Center.

Saturday, May 17
Kentucky Women’s Book Festival, UofL Ekstrom Library, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The Kentucky Women’s Book Festival (KWBF) is designed to bring together writers and readers from Kentucky and adjacent states interested in writings by and about Kentucky Women authors. Featured keynote luncheon speaker will be short-story writer (Girl Trouble) and novelist (The Next Time You See Me) Holly Goddard Jones who will read from her work and answer questions from the audience.
Sponsored in part by the UofL Women’s Center, University Libraries, the UofL Commission on Diversity & Racial Equality (CODRE), the Commission on the Status of Women (COSW), the LGBT Office, and Women Who Write, Inc. The festival is free; however, there is a cost to attend the luncheon. Visit http://louisville.edu/womenscenter/programs-events/community/kwbf for updates. Call the UofL Women’s Center at 502-852-8976 to register by May 13.

New Students on Board
The Women’s Center would like to welcome new students to the office who joined us this spring. Freshman Hannah R. Nielsen is a native of Louisville whose primary area of interest is fine arts. 
She says, “I hope working in the Women’s Center will help me to fully understand how diversity impacts the University of Louisville. I want to be involved on campus and help reach other students from various walks of life. There are so many great organizations on campus and I am thrilled to be working in one of them!”
Hannah’s hobbies are drawing and painting and she also enjoys playing with her small dogs, Zoe and Sofie. 
Liberal Studies major Caitlin S. Rothrock returned to UofL after working as a Vista Corps member in an urban school for the City of Los Angeles, California. Her interests include music and yoga. She hopes to get involved in the Student-Parent Association.

Higher Education and Women: A Historical Perspective
by Valerie M. Casey
Women’s History Month is both celebrated and honored annually to remember the achievements of women. To recognize Women’s History Month 2014 we will take a historical look at the role of women in higher education during its formative years and briefly examine the perceptions people held about women in higher education as evidenced by publications from that period. 
In Colonial times, higher education and the college experience was the arena for the elite—white males and not women or African Americans. In his book, The History of American Education, J.R. Thelin states that the history of the education of women is incomplete and there is “no record of a woman of the colonial period having received a degree.” In the late 1700s and early 1800s academies and seminary schools opened for women and in 1787 the first academy for women in America, the Young Ladies Academy of Philadelphia, was created. The Young Ladies Academy taught basic academic courses considered higher education at that time, which amounted to a secondary education. According to the National Women History Museum, in the first year alone, almost 100 women students enrolled there.
 In the South in 1836, Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia, became the first college in the nation to be chartered to grant degrees to women, a full two hundred years after the founding of Harvard in 1636. In 1840, Catherine Brewer a student at Wesleyan became the first woman in America to earn a bachelor’s degree. Education for women was taking hold across America but there were still challenges and at the Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848, one of the complaints was that women had been denied access to education. Women had to overcome many obstacles to achieve the opportunity for education that their male counterparts had enjoyed for generations. 
Since women have historically been written out of history, very little original source material is available on women in education during colonial times. With the help of the University of Louisville Ekstrom Library staff, we were able to find several very interesting articles from the Godey’s Ladies Book (April 1842 edition) shed light on society’s view of education and the role of women.  One of the challenges women faced, was the attitudes toward women as illustrated in the book.  The article titled, “Modern Female Education” by Louis Fitzgerald Tasistro warns that in pursuing an education a woman’s mental energy will be wasted since men are the ones who have professions. Paramount among these obstacles was the cultural belief that women were inherently different than men and in fact education of women could not be done without potential risk to her health. Outlined in a publication titled Sex in Education; or, a Fair Chance for Girls from 1875, E.C Clark lists the health issues women would suffer as a result of education to be symptoms of “neuralgia, uterine disease, hysteria and other derangements of the nervous system.” There was a genuine fear that educating women would make them unfit mothers and wives and, faced with negative societal pressure, women had to overcome stereotypes and prove that college would not injure their health. 
In an 1849 edition Godey’s Lady’s Book published another article titled “The True Educators”. It highlighted the need for well-instructed female teachers to fill a deficit in the number of teachers due to an influx of immigrants, and laments the discrepancy in the amount of funding received for the education of women compared to men. The same year, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first women to graduate from medical school at Geneva Medical College in New York, but only after having been turned down by 16 other medical schools. The first African American woman to receive a bachelor’s degree was Mary Jane Patterson from Oberlin College in 1862.
Changes have occurred rapidly over the last century and a half. Currently, women outpace men in enrollment and, as reported by CBS News, women now earn more undergraduate and graduate degrees than men. Women in higher education have made tremendous strides since the founding of our nation, but still have much to accomplish. 

The Women’s Center Community Service Project for UofL women staff coming soon. 
Call 852-8976 for more information or email us at mailto:womenctr@louisville.edu

Spotlight On Monnica T. Williams, Ph.D.
By Phyllis M. Webb, M.Ed., UofL Women’s Center
Stress. OCD. Anxiety attacks. PTSD.
Many of us have it in some form or another. According to WebMD, an online internet web site, about a million suffer [live] each day with various types of mental illness and mental health problems, such as social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, drug addiction, and personality disorders.
I had an opportunity to meet and talk with Monnica T. Williams, Ph.D., who serves as the Associate Director of the Center for Mental Health Disparities at the University of Louisville. The Center, located in suite 317 of Davidson Hall, offers various active research studies with the Multiracial Family Wellness Project, OCD and Relationships--Married with OCD and Sexual Orientation Obsessions in OCD. Participation in these studies includes videotaped interviews, answering surveys and telephone screenings. She also provides research and clinical training to students.
Dr. Williams’ interests include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), other anxiety disorders, for example, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), sexual-related mental illness, and gender issues in mental disorders. She is also an Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology in the Dept. of Psychological & Brain Sciences at UofL as well as a Licensed Psychologist, specializing in the assessment and treatment of OCD, PTSD, and other anxiety disorders in adults and adolescents.
Dr. Williams completed her undergraduate studies at MIT and UCLA. She received her Master’s and Doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Virginia.
She has published multiple book chapters and peer-reviewed articles focused on anxiety disorders and cultural differences. She has received grant funding from local, federal, and international organizations. She has served on the board of directors of the Delaware Valley Association of Black Psychologists, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Main Line chapter, and the OC Foundation of California. She is currently a member of the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF), the Association of Black Psychologists, and the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, where she serves as the Special Interest Group (SIG) leader for African Americans in Behavioral Therapy. She is also on the editorial board of the Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders (JOCRD).
She provided insights on the following:
As a faculty woman of color at UofL, what do you see are the greatest challenges facing women on campus?
Being respected by students and peers as academic leader and scholars.
(and in higher education in general)?
The same, as well as juggling academic careers and family responsibilities. Women get burned out trying to do too many things well. I think isolation and lack of connection is also a problem we don’t take seriously enough.
Were you recruited by UofL to be a part of the faculty before making a decision to come to UofL?
I had been approached by a colleague who was at UofL, and he really wanted me to come here. I was burned out at a medical school and wanted to be in a psychology department.
About how many graduate students do you supervise? 
Three UofL students and 1-3 practicum students.
And advice to students pursuing a career in psychology?
I supervise 3 undergraduates who are interested in clinical psychology. I advise them to get research experience early in their undergraduate careers and maintain good grades.
From an electrical engineering/biomedical Technology major, what was your decision to pursue degrees in psychology?
I had a family member with major mental illness. I had already been interested in research and also did volunteer crisis counseling. Clinical psychology seemed a good fit for my interests. 
If there is a faculty network at UofL, what would be your personal and professional vision(s) of what it would entail?
Regular meetings, lunches, opportunities for networking, sharing ideas, collaborations, and close personal friendships. 
Your hometown?
San Jose, California. 45 minutes south of San Francisco (my favorite city) and the heart of Silicon Valley.
Anything else that you want to add?
As a culture we stigmatize failure, rather that view it as a necessary step for growth and learning. Fear of failure stifles creativity and innovation. 
For more details about the Center for Mental Health Disparities, email cmhd.uofl@gmail.com or call 852-7164. 
Note: Dr. Williams is scheduled to be the featured speaker at the annual Transformation Tea for Women of Color (And their Allies) in April.
Mental Health Awareness Month is observed throughout May in the United States.
It raises awareness about mental illnesses, such as depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It also draws attention to suicide, which may be precipitated by some mental illness.
In addition, mental health awareness educates communities about disorders educates communities about disorders and reducing the stigma that surrounds it. The month came about by presidential proclamation.

Student-Athlete Workshop
by Lori J. Korte, Assistant Sports Information Director, University of Louisville Athletics
As part of the athletic department’s LCARE student-athlete development program, the University of Louisville Women’s Golf team recently participated in a workshop to learn the “dos and don’ts” of cold weather driving. With the majority of the team from warm-weather climates, driving in winter weather conditions is a much-needed topic of discussion for these Cardinals. Jeff Gardner, Sr., AAA Traffic Safety Manager and father of senior baseball student-athlete, Jeff Gardner, Jr., presented driving and vehicle safety tips to the team.
Gardner first presented a training video to highlight road signs, signals, and markings. A second training video demonstrated how to properly drive in conditions where ice and rain are present. Gardner then discussed the necessity of traveling with a “go bag” which contains items a driver may need if stranded (e.g. flashlight, water bottle, snack food, battery-powered radio).
The team took home several informational brochures and handouts which covered information such as Kentucky’s newest traffic laws. Before wrapping up the first half of the workshop, Gardner made a point to warn the team about the dangers of texting and driving as well as the newest Kentucky laws regulating this risky habit. The team asked questions throughout the presentation to help them better understand vehicle maintenance.
The final half of the workshop featured a hands-on session. Gardner took the team outside to demonstrate prepping a vehicle for cold weather and caring for common driving issues. The team learned how to locate and check the oil in a vehicle, fill windshield wiper fluid, locate the air filter, check the anti-freeze, and how to jump a dead battery.
The workshop proved to be very helpful and practical for the team. Sophomore Laura Restrepo commented, “I really enjoyed having Mr. Gardner teach us incredibly important information about car maintenance and how to drive safely in dangerous weather situations. His enthusiasm, real life examples and hands on activities made it a wonderful experience!”
“This student-athlete development workshop is the perfect example of how we really try to be creative when educating our student-athletes in various life skills. Car care and maintenance is not something the student-athletes will get in the classroom or on the field, even though it’s extremely useful for not only these young adults, but really anyone,” commented Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Development, Amy Seng. “We would like to thank Mr. Gardner and AAA for helping our student-athletes to be safe and prepared.”

Who or What Inspires You?
The UofL Women’s Center is collecting “favorite words of wisdom” from our readers to be assembled for the upcoming summer edition and/or put on our Facebook page. Send us your favorite words of wisdom you’ve received that may have inspired you, along with your name, whether you are a student, staff, faculty or community individual. (If you are a student, please include your hometown, major and classification (i.e. freshmen).
Email to the Women Center Service account, mailto:womenctr@louisville.edu by June 6, 2014.

The Women’s Center News
A publication of the Women’s Center at the University of Louisville
Editorial Board: Valerie Casey, Brenda D. Gunn, Robin Harris, Prafula P. Sheth, and Phyllis Webb. The Women’s Center News is a free, quarterly newsletter.
It is available online at www.louisville.edu/womenscenter. To receive a hard copy of the newsletter or to sign up for email announcements, write to: Women’s Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292; 502-852-8976; or send an email to: mailto:womenctr@louisville.edu.

The University of Louisville is an equal opportunity institution.
This publication was prepared by the University of Louisville with state funds KRS 57.375. 
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