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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Northern Illinois University

WOMEN'S STUDIES
BULLETIN

April/May 2007

Table of Contents:

Events
Faculty Associates Event
Women's History Month Wrap-Up
WS Cords for Graduating Seniors

People
Student in the Spotlight
Faculty in the Spotlight
Goodbye & Thank You to our WOMS T.A.s

Accomplishments

Opportunities & Announcements

EVENTS

FACULTY ASSOCIATES EVENT
On Monday, April 23, we will host a screening and discussion of Mother Jones: The Most Dangerous Woman in America, written and produced by Rosemary Feurer and Laura Vazquez. Feurer is an Associate Professor of History and Vazquez is an Associate Professor of Communication at NIU. We hope that you will join us for this brown-bag lunch event. Beverages and dessert will be provided.

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH WRAP-UP
This year, NIU celebrated Women’s History Month with nearly two dozen events. We counted over 1100 people at our events, though some, no doubt, came to more than one event. We kicked off the celebration by honoring the winners of our poster and essay contests. The winner of our poster contest, Carolyn Paluch, produced an attractive design (see silhouette above) that has drawn much praise. Everyone at the ceremony was also impressed with the quality of this year’s winning essays by the following students:
Graduate -
1st Place: Bonnie Miller (“Questioning the notion of hybridity: feminist solutions to contradictions in unity and diversity”)
Honorable Mentions: Katherine Hageland (“’The Moon, Which He Detested’: Lunar Imagery and Moon Goddess Symbolism in Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and Michael Cunningham’s The Hours”), and Kathleen Turner (“The Clueless, Mean Girls or Where Are the Pants?: A Feminist Examination of Teen Movies”)
Undergraduate-
1st Place: Katherine Sheriff (“The Power of Woman”)
2nd Place: Shenna E. Kirk (“Where’s Mom?”)
Honorable Mention: Megan Quain (“A Daughter’s Admiration for Her Working Mother”)
During the ceremony, we also recognized Caleb Medearis for his outstanding service to the Women's Studies Program.

On March 1, we celebrated the third annual “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” Sticker Day, an event that has drawn national attention. Since the National Women's Studies Association announced the event on its web site, other institutions, including the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth and Virginia's George Mason University, have also held the event. By wearing the stickers, people demonstrate that the faces of feminism are as varied as the faces of our nation.

Dr. Susan J. Douglas, Catherine Neafie Kellogg Professor and Chair of Communication Studies at the University of Michigan, was our first graduate colloquium speaker. Douglas presented both an informal seminar and a public lecture. The seminar introduced participants to the process of conducting research on representations of women in the media. Douglas’s lecture examined the role of the mass media in helping to construct and reinforce the “new momism,” a romanticized notion of the perfect mother whose standards of success are impossible to achieve. Students were especially appreciative of Douglas’s eagerness to engage in dialogue with them and answer their questions.

Our second graduate colloquium speaker, Betsy Beaulieu focused on issues related to motherhood and race in both her seminar and lecture. Beaulieu is an assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies at Appalachian State University.

Once again, Women’s Alliance sponsored two very successful events, the Vagina Monologues and the Vagina Seminar. Money raised at the performances of the Vagina Monologues was donated to Safe Passage Domestic Violence Shelter in DeKalb.

The month-long celebration ended with a presentation by Toril Moi at the 15th Annual Midwestern Conference on Literature, Language, and Media. Moi is the James B. Duke Professor of Literature & Romance Studies at Duke University.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make this year's Women’s History Month a success!
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WS CORDS FOR GRADUATING SENIORS
If you are completing a minor in Women’s Studies, stop by Reavis 103 to pick up your special purple cord and show off your achievements on graduation day!
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Prior to arriving at NIU, Holloway worked for Cy-Fair College in Cypress, TX, where she was hired as a founding Associate Professor of Political Science. While there, she helped to establish a women's club that organized such events as "Take Back the Night" and "The Vagina Monologues." The club received strong support from college administration, and the group is still going strong.

Holloway is also proud of her work as a Regional Program Associate with the McAuley Institute from 1999-2003. The McAuley Institute is a national, non-profit housing mediator that focuses exclusively on the needs of poor women and children. As a Program Associate, Holloway helped launch a women's homeowner initiative in Houston, TX, which provides revolving loan funds and subsidies to families headed by single women. She also educated lenders on the specific barriers that low-income women often face in order to encourage lenders to increase services available to the female population.

Holloway would like NIU to offer a Women's Studies major. She believes that Women's Studies helps to raise awareness of gender inequities that are still prevalent in our society. On a personal level, she says, "Women's Studies has provided a different framework within which to raise my daughter," as she tries to help her 5 year old begin to understand "the social constructions of gender and her own self-worth."
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FACULTY IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Regina Rahn is a new faculty associate in Women's Studies and an Assistant Professor of Industrial & Systems Engineering. She received her Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. degrees in Nuclear Engineering, all from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2006, Rahn was the recipient of the "Faculty of the Year Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Education" from the College of Engineering & Engineering Technology. Rahn's research interests are broad and include the development and application of new learning methods in engineering education, as well as research on gender differences in learning, specifically related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Rahn is actively involved in issues related to women and STEM. She recently submitted a research proposal to the National Science Foundation titled, "Gender Differences in Possible Selves: Impact on Middle School Students' STEM-related Career Interests, Academic and Career Goal Planning, and High School Course Selection." She is the Coordinator of the Carter Program for Women in Engineering (get WISE), which works to recruit low income students into engineering, especially females from underrepresented groups. She is also the faculty advisor for the Society of Women Engineers at NIU. Finally, in 2006, she introduced high school girls to career opportunities available in engineering at the Conference for Young Women.

Rahn first became interested in Women's Studies when she met Amy Levin and Lise Schlosser at meetings of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women, of which she is a member. According to Rahn, the value of Women's Studies lies in its interdisciplinary nature. In this program, "we can come together from many different areas of study and focus on our common experiences as women." Furthermore, she adds, "we can learn to appreciate our contributions both to our areas of interest and to society as women." Rahn says she is excited to be part of the Women's Studies program, and we are thrilled to have her!
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GOODBYE & THANK YOU TO OUR WOMS T.A.S
We would like to thank Austin Sawicki for his excellent work as a Women’s Studies T.A. for the past two years. We are also grateful to Christine Haskill and Ashleigh Burge for their wonderful contributions as Women's Studies T.A.s this past year. We wish all three of them the best in their future endeavors!

WELCOME NEW FACULTY ASSOCIATES:
Kate Cady (Communication); Sabiha Daudi (Teaching & Learning); Margaret Asalele Mbilizi (Counseling, Adult & Higher Ed.); Helen Nagata (Art History); Regina Rahn (Industrial & Systems Engineering); Patricia Rickett (English); and Amy Rose (Counseling, Adult & Higher Ed.).

Since 1987, the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) has recognized successful women students with the Outstanding Women Student Awards. These awards acknowledge students who take on leadership roles, overcome significant obstacles, pursue non-traditional career goals, or whose accomplishments might otherwise go unrecognized. The following Women's Studies students received the 2007 NIU Outstanding Women Student Award: Monica Avina, Marla J. Buchanan, Genevieve Diesing, Amanda Knittel, Maimouna Konate, and Catherine Nimerfroh. This year’s recipients were honored on April 15 at the PCSW-sponsored ceremony. Congratulations!

The following Women’s Studies students presented at the Midwest Conference on Language, Literature, and Media: Elizabeth Bowman, “Sounding the Depths: Thomas Gray’s Poet and Audience;” Katherine Hageland, “‘Write it!’: Mastering the Art of Loss in Elizabeth Bishop's ‘One Art’;” Christine Haskill, “The Exploitation of Bodies: Sex and War in Pat Barker's Regeneration Trilogy;” Bonnie Miller, “Undetermined Possibilities: Notions of Determinism, Fate, Indeterminism, and Free Will in White Teeth;” Lise Schlosser, “‘Whereas Sidonian Dido rules as queen’: The Dido and Aeneas Myth During Elizabeth I's Reign;” Alisa Smith-Riel; “An Ambiguous Narrator is No Gimmick: How Jeanette Winterson’s Written on the Body Forces Readers to Consider Gender.”

Many NIU students and faculty will be presenting at the National Women's Studies Association Annual Conference in June. A complete schedule of NIU related talks will be sent out soon.

Barbara Burrell was chosen as president elect of the Women's Caucus of the American Political Science Association. She participated in a panel at NIU Law School's 16th Annual Law Review Symposium in March. She presented papers at the 2006 National Symposium on Women and Politics, the Southern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, and the Midwest Political Science Association annual meeting. Finally, she contributed a chapter to Gender and Elections: Shaping the Future of American Politics, edited by Susan J. Carroll and Richard L. Fox (Cambridge UP).

Jami Gibbs has been published in the 2007 World Almanac in a section titled "Blogs from Soldiers and Their Families: Voices of Service in America."

Adrienne Holloway will present "The Impact of Gender on the 2006 U.S. Senate Midterm Elections: A Case Study of the Minnesota Election" at the College of Lake County Women's Center 5th Annual Gender Conference, on April 13.

Amy Levin edited a book, Defining Memory: Local Museums and the Construction of History in America's Changing Communities, which was released in March (AltaMira). Levin wrote two chapters in this text.

Women's Studies was honored with an Ally Award for support of and contributions to the LGBT community at NIU. Additionally, Amy Levin was given an Ally Award for support of and contributions to the LGBT Studies Program. Levin also received NIU's first "Outstanding Mentor Award" for her tremendous support of many students and faculty.

Lise Schlosser presented "Watching Dido Watching: Christopher Marlowe's Dido, Queen of Carthage" at the Midwest Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference in February. She was a respondent at the 8th Annual Graduate Symposium on Women's & Gender History at the University of Illinois in March. Two of her poems were included in "Conception: A Show Addressing Women's Issues" at the Pleasant Street Studios & Gallery, in March. She has also had papers accepted at the MADLIT 3rd Annual Graduate Student Conference in Language and Literature on Texts, Translations, and Traditions in April; the 17th Annual Conference on Virginia Woolf in June; and the 2007 International Margaret Cavendish Society Conference in June/July.

Lois Self was inducted into the Northern Star Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Saturday, March 3.

Lynne Thomas's article, "Passing 'Girl Sports': Cross-dressing heroines from the dime novels of Edward L. Wheeler," was published in Dime Novel Round Up (Feb. 2007).

Beau Vallance, former NIU Art Education professor and Women's Studies faculty associate, contributed a chapter to Defining Memory: Local Museums and the Construction of History in America's Changing Communities, edited by Amy Levin.
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National Women's Studies Association will be holding a Student Pre-Conference on June 28, at Pheasant Run in St. Charles, IL. The Student Pre-Conference is FREE if students sign up for the general conference (remember that both membership AND conference registration fees are charged on a sliding scale) and $15 if students don't sign up for the general conference. Additional information is available at the NWSA website. Women’s Studies minors and graduate certificate students presenting at the conference should notify the Women’s Studies office immediately if they have not already done so to inquire about having their conference registration fees waived.

NIU's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Studies Program has a graduate assistantship position available for the 2007-2008 academic year. Duties assigned to the position could include: student recruitment, publicity, grant research, program planning and assistance with program administration, amongst other duties. At the minimum, applicants must have a bachelor's degree, be registered full-time in a graduate program at NIU during the appointment term, be able to work 20 hours per week, be committed to diversity, and possess good communication skills. The position is open until filled, but review of applications will begin April 27. To apply, send a current resume, the Graduate School's assistantship application, a writing sample, a letter of interest, and two written letters of recommendation to: Prof. D. Swanson, c/o Women's Studies Program, 103 Reavis Hall, NIU. Each letter of recommendation must arrive in a signed and sealed envelope. For additional information on the position, email Diana Swansonor call 753-6611.

Transformations: The Journal of Inclusive Scholarship and Pedagogy is accepting articles and abstracts for upcoming issues on "Teaching Material Culture," "Teaching the Body," and "Teaching Performances." For deadlines and guidelines, go to theTransformations website.

Women's Research & Education Institute is accepting applications for Congressional Fellowships on Women and Public Policy. The program is open to applicants who are currently enrolled in, or have recently completed, a graduate program leading to a degree. Further information and an application form are available at Women's Research & Education Institute's website. Applications are due by May 18, 2007.

The women of the graduating B.F.A. class in Theater Arts-Acting will be performing "The Female of the Species: A Composition Evoking Euripedes' Women," on Friday and Saturday, April 20 & 21 at 7:30 p.m., in Cavin Auditorium in Gabel Hall. Admission is $5. All proceeds benefit the School of Theater & Dance Senior Showcase.

We invite submissions for future WS bulletins. If you know of any information that we should include in future bulletins, please email Rebekah Kohli at rkohli@niu.edu with subject heading “Bulletin.” You may also call 753-1044.

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