Academics

International Women's Day breakfast, March 16

University Park, Pa. -- Penn State’s University Office of Global Programs (UOGP) will hold its third annual breakfast in celebration of International Women’s Day, at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 16 in Heritage Hall of the HUB-Robeson Center. Featured speaker this year is Ann Tickamyer, professor of rural sociology and head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology. Her scholarship focuses on rural poverty and development, gender and work, and social welfare provision in the U.S., Indonesia, and Southeast Asia. She will speak on the timely subject of “Women in Disaster Relief and Recovery.”

"Disasters act as gender neutral," Tickamyer said, “but they affect genders differently. Women are disproportionally victimized. Relief efforts need to be planned differently for women and men instead of being treated as gender neutral. Women need to be targeted differently."

In addition, to Tickamyer’s featured speech, six women from various Penn State campuses and the local community will be honored with International Women’s Day Spirit of Internationalization Awards. These annual awards honor women with international interests who have shown extraordinary strength of character and commitment to the cause of internationalization, whether through a specialized focus on one project, or a variety of initiatives or methods of support.

The 2010 award winners include:

· Benta Abuya—Doctoral student from Kenya studying education theory and policy
· Deanna Behring—Director of International Programs in the College of Agricultural Sciences
· Polly Dunn—Coordinator of Global Connections’ International Friendship Program
· Eva Letwin—Member of board of directors of the Centre County United Nations Association
· Jackie McLaughlin—Associate professor of biology, Penn State Lehigh Valley
· Emily Tarconish—Graduate student studying counselor education

UOGP encourages Penn State faculty, staff, and students as well as community members to attend the International Women’s Day Breakfast in order to learn about these women’s remarkable contributions.

This year’s Spirit of Internationalization selection committee included representatives of the Penn State’s Center for Women Students, American Association of University Women (AAUW), Center for Women Students, Centre County League of Women Voters, Commission for Women, Global Connections, Graduate Women in Science, Women in the Sciences & Engineering (WISE), and UOGP.

International Women’s Day, which is officially observed on March 8, is celebrated by universities, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals around the world in the form of rallies, festivals, conferences, craft markets, performances, and more. Originating in the early 1900s, the day has long been an opportunity to draw attention to pressing issues such as pay parity in the workforce, equal access to education, women’s health, and the cessation of violence towards women.

Please RSVP by Thursday, March 11 if you are interested in attending the International Women’s Day Breakfast. All those who RSVP will be eligible to win one of two gift certificates for a free massage at Hair DeZigns in State College. Breakfast is $10 per person.

To make reservations for the breakfast, or for more information, contact Sandi Richter, Directorate of Global Relations and Promotion, University Office of Global Programs, at (814) 863-5973 or smr274@psu.edu.

Last Updated March 9, 2010

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