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Feb. 15, 2019
Northwest Missouri State University will host a series of events next month in commemoration of Women’s History Month, and its seeking nominations to honor and recognize the achievements of some its own influential women on campus.
Under the national theme of “Visionary Women: Champions of Peace and Nonviolence,” activities at Northwest will include a talk about sexual assault and a presentation by a Holocaust survivor. Northwest also will host a pop-up women’s center, Green Dot training and another iteration of the Clothesline Project.
A reception and recognition of “Influential Women of Northwest” also highlights the month’s activities from 2-3 p.m. Friday, March 15, at the B.D. Owens Library. The Northwest community is invited to nominate female students, faculty and staff at Northwest who have positively influenced lives and made outstanding contributions to the University community. Nominations must be submitted by noon Friday, March 1, by visiting www.nwmissouri.edu/diversity/whm/.
The recognition event is sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the Missouri Gold Program and Today’s Civic Women. Additionally, the reception will mark the opening of a special exhibit, which will remain on display in the library through the end of the month.
“Even in the 21st century, women’s contributions to history remain less well-known, and women less frequently hold leadership positions – and yet women, their influence and their achievements surround us,” Assistant Professor of History Dr. Elyssa Ford, who is helping organize Women’s History Month activities at Northwest, said. “At Northwest, we would like to remind our community about the important work that women do, to honor their accomplishments, and to build a support network for Northwest women.”
National Women's History Month was founded in 1987 when the U.S. Congress declared that it be celebrated each March. A presidential proclamation is issued annually to honor the achievements of American women.
Women’s History Month activities at Northwest are co-sponsored by Ford and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Additional details about the activities are provided below; all of the events are free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Ford at ebford@nwmissouri.edu.
Drop in to paint a shirt and add your message to the Clothesline Project. The purpose of the Clothesline Project is to raise awareness about relationship and sexual violence, encourage people to intervene as bystanders, encourage survivors, and share personal connections to the issue. Shirts will be displayed March 20 at the Memorial Bell Tower.
Dougherty, a professor of communication at the University of Missouri-Columbia, will speak about sexual harassment. The event is sponsored by the School of Communication and Mass Media.
Women are invited to gather to advance discussions of intersectional and gender-based oppression while offering social support and cultivating empowerment for women-identified individuals on campus.
The Northwest community will celebrate female students, faculty and staff at Northwest who have positively influenced lives and made outstanding contributions to the University community.
Green Dot is a violence prevention initiative focused on reducing violence, including stalking, sexual assault and partner violence. This program will explore how to identify concerning behaviors that might indicate violence, unique ways to interrupt violence by drawing on strengths and personality, and how the Green Dot approach could be beneficial and useful to you as you develop as a professional.
Blumenthal Lazan, a Holocaust survivor and author of the children’s book “Four Perfect Pebbles,” will share her experiences. The event is sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences; the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences; the Department of Language, Literature and Writing; the School of Education; and the History Club.
