Copy
May 2017 newsletter from Women's and Gender Studies @ ISU
View this email in your browser
Table of Contents

From the Director: Dr. Ann Oberhauser

May marks the end of the school year and finals week for spring semester at Iowa State University.  Several of our students will graduate from ISU and move on to jobs and graduate school. A new beginning! Others will return next year, representing a record number of majors and minors in the Women’s and Gender Studies Program.

This period is also a time to reflect on accomplishments (and challenges) of the past year. We are extremely proud of our students and faculty in the Women’s and Gender Studies Program. Here are only a few of the many accomplishments we have to celebrate.

Among our graduating seniors, Ana Haigh will continue her work with the Iowa Domestic Violence Services center in Des Moines after graduation. Hunter Martin was accepted into the International Media MA program at American University in Washington D. C. Mariam Remus-Marante is starting Law School at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, CA in the fall.  Itzel Padron Zuniga is working at the Monsoon United Asian Women of Iowa as a violence prevention coordinator. Julissa Garcia is a first year WGS major who was awarded the Linda Galyon Undergraduate Scholarship. Among our graduate students, Cori Hyde will earn a MA in Sociology with a graduate minor in WGS. Our faculty members have also earned some awards this year. Michèle Schaal won the Margaret Sloss Gender Equity Award, Lorraine Acker earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from ISU, and Amber Manning-Ouellette was awarded the Gender and Sexuality Research Award.

In light of these efforts to recognize and support our students and faculty, the WGS Program is reaching out to friends and community members to help build scholarships and general funds for the program.  Please consider giving to our Linda Galyon Undergraduate Scholarship or the general fund through the ISU Foundation.

Finally, these are uncertain times, but I have great confidence in the work that is being done by our students, faculty, and many people who believe so much in our program.  Have a safe and relaxing summer.  I look forward to hearing from each of you soon!

Ann Oberhauser

WGS 2017 Student Conference


Christiana Langenberg, WGS advisor; Rekha Basu, journalist; Ann Oberhauser, Director, WGS; and Cheyanne Sorenson, WGS student  

More than 50 students, faculty, and staff from colleges and universities across Iowa attended the 2nd annual Transforming Gender and Society Student Conference at the Memorial Union on April 1, 2017. Both graduate and undergraduate student gave presentations addressing topics related to women and gender in society. Their projects focused on a variety of themes, including identity, wellness, gender in politics, and gender as it relates to digital literacy. Students were encouraged to present academic research and creative works or participate in panels and roundtable discussions.

Rekha Basu, columnist with the Des Moines Register, presented the keynote speech during the conference luncheon. Her remarks centered on people she has met throughout her career who have exhibited resistance to social and legislative constructs that they found to be unjust. Several of those stories were taken directly from her book, Finding Her Voice, a compilation of media columns about women.

Basu closed by urging attendees to use their voices, and stories of their peers, to share broader truths to combat hateful political propaganda. “As one who makes my living from the news, I sometimes feel so outraged that it's emotionally overwhelming, but checking out is not an option for me, and it shouldn’t be an option for any of us,” Basu said. “The best antidote to despair is action.”

Student Highlight: Kate Litscher


Kate Litscher graduating in Fall 2017 with a double major in Computer Science and Women’s and Gender Studies. She enjoys math, programming, problem solving, and enjoys being part of the WGS learning community. One of her biggest accomplishments as a student in WGS is her involvement in the women-oriented hackathon Digital Women this spring. The event was a team work effort that lasted 24-hours and was aimed at people who did not feel comfortable learning to code in such a male dominated environment. The fact that the Computer Science major at Iowa State University is only eleven percent female indicates the importance of integrating more women into computer programming. The event attracted about 70 participants and each group presented a final product.

Kate's recommendations to other students is to register for Digital Women event in Spring 2018. It is aimed at anyone who wants to learn about coding since it includes classes and the guidance of mentors. She is committed to creating an environment in her department that is inclusive to women in a male-dominated major.

Faculty Highlight: Dr. Jen Coppoc


Dr. Jen Coppoc is a Women’s and Gender Studies Faculty Affiliate and a lecturer in the English Department and American Indian Studies. One area of her research focuses on representations of American Indian people through photography with a particular emphasis on critically and creatively exploring the differences between non-Native and Native photographers’ work. She also focuses on American Indian art and its relationship to cultural identity and revitalization.

Jen currently teaches a variety of American Indian Studies courses at Iowa State University, including a course on American Indian women writers. The class explores the intersection of race and gender and examines contemporary issues facing women from different tribal communities – such as high rates of sexual assault and domestic abuse – and the work of American Indian women writers of many genres, including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, film and play-writing.

One of Jen’s highlights at ISU was bringing filmmaker, entrepreneur, and investment banker, Valerie Red-Horse (Cherokee) to campus. Red-Horse founded two female Native American-owned investment banks on Wall Street and wrote and directed the film, Naturally Native. Her work remains a continued presence in Jen’s classes and a valuable teaching tool for students.

Featured Alumna: Heather Kaminsen


Heather Kaminsen graduated from Sociology, Environmental Studies, and Women's and Gender Studies in 2012. One of her most memorable moments as a WGS student was the tremendous impact the program had on her personal growth and professional path. She especially enjoyed the ecofeminism class since it helped her fully experience her identity as a woman and her relationship to the environment. It was an important class that combine all her majors in one course. She stated that the "class inspired my undergraduate thesis topic, Women in the Environmental Movement, and continues to inspire me to be involved in politics."

Kaminsen is currently working in higher education as a Student Success Coach with the TRIO program at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota. She dedicates much of her time to students on a one-on-one basis, especially those who are from a low income background, are first generation, and/or have a disability.
 

Special Feature: Interview with Hunter Martin


Hunter Martin is a graduating senior in Public Relations and Women’s and Gender Studies, with a minor in Psychology

What are your plans after graduation and in your future career?
This fall, I will be attending American University in Washington, D.C. as a Master’s student in International Media. My career goal is to work with an international non-profit. My two passions are cultural preservation and gender equality. A dream job would be working for UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) because they do a lot of work in heritage protection and education around the world, and gender equality is one of their priorities.

How did you become interested in cultural preservation and gender equality?
I didn’t really know what my interests were until I got to college. I took WS 301: International Perspectives on Women and Gender which really set me on the path that I am on because it sparked my interest in gender equality in an international context.

During my time at Iowa State, I spent nine months studying abroad in Thessaloniki, Greece and Cusco, Peru. That increased my interest in cultural protection of different heritage sites. I see my two passions as very interconnected, and my majors in Public Relations and Women’s and Gender Studies help me understand what is happening in the world in a broader context.

Did you have any internship experiences while at Iowa State?
My freshman year, I had an internship on campus with an environmental grass roots organization. Between my sophomore and junior years, I did an internship in WA D.C. with a legal non-profit organization. While studying abroad, I was fortunate to be one of the social media interns. Since Public Relations is one of my fields, this experience allowed me to have an online portfolio and publish online writing samples. Finally, I am currently an intern with the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics on campus.

What advice do you have for students?
I definitely recommend studying abroad or doing an internship – or both if you are able. I don’t think I would be where I am if I hadn’t had my internship experiences, and I don’t think I would have chosen this particular graduate program if I didn’t studied abroad.
I would also encourage students to take Women’s and Gender Studies courses because you never know what you will learn. I loved the courses because I was able to study all of these different things—politics, communication, history, and many others—with the focus being on women. That was my favorite part of the degree. I was able to have all of these interests and focus on something that was impactful to me as a woman.

Campus Partners

International Student Graduate Learning Community
The International Student Graduate Learning Community (ISGLC) provides international graduate students with support and resources. They offer social and academic networking as well as personal and professional development opportunities for international students. They also provide a Peer Mentor Network, with continuing international students mentoring first-year students. Students who are interested in joining, either as a mentor or a mentee, should contact ISU-ISGLC at isu.isglc@gmail.com.


United Way of Story County
United Way advances the common good by focusing on education, income, and health—the building blocks for a good quality of life. United Way of Story County helps prepare children for adulthood, keeps seniors in healthy environments, and offers a helping hand to hard-working families. They are able to do this through strong community partners such as Iowa State University. Each year, various divisions at Iowa State hosts an annual fundraising campaign to support United Way’s programming. In 2016, the Iowa State campaign raised over $400,000 to benefit our local community.
 

Campus Events

Lavender Graduation Ceremony
Graduating members of the Iowa State lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and ally community are recognized during this special event.
Thursday, May 4th, 2017 – 3:00 – 5:00  pm - East State Gym

Graduate College Commencement
Thursday, May 4th, 2017 - 7:30 pm - Hilton Coliseum

Undergraduate Ceremony
Saturday, May 6th, 2017 - 1:30 pm - Jack Trice Stadium

Undergraduate and Graduate Resources

Leadership Education And Development  (L.E.A.D.) Team (Link)
LEAD is a group of Iowa State student leaders committed to the advancement of student leadership opportunities on campus. Members of the team have the opportunity to further develop and apply their leadership skills through the planning of large-scale conferences, retreats, individual workshops geared toward recognized student organizations, and offering assistance to ISU students looking to start an organization.

Click HERE for details and to apply!

Get a Co- Curricular Transcript (CCT)
A CCT is a record of your involvement, experiences and achievements as an ISU student. Having a CCT serves as a one stop shop for you to demonstrate skills and attributes to employers, graduate schools, scholarship selection committees, internship providers and more - giving you that competitive edge!

Learn more
HERE.
 
Graduate
Graduate College Career Services LinkedIn Group
Keep up-to-date on career related topics and opportunities. New Resources for Federally-sponsored Opportunities in STEM
https://stemgradstudents.science.gov/
 
Women’s and Gender Studies Hiring Graduate Assistant 2017-2018
Are you interested in developing social media and promoting the Women’s and Gender Studies Program?  We are looking for a graduate student who can work 10 hours per week.  If interested, please send your resume and a cover letter stating your qualifications for this position and background. Preference will be given to WGS Graduate Minors at Iowa State.
 Contact Dr. Ann Oberhauser,
annober@iastate.edu  Office phone: 515.294.9283
 

SUBMIT NEWS, EVENTS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, ETC!

If you won an award, received recognition or want to share an event or experience, please email Sabrina Shields-Cook, shieldsc@iastate.edu with any information.




WGS Newsletter edited by Elisa Cardenas and Sabrina Shields-Cook
Facebook- WGSisu
Twitter - WGS_isu
 
Copyright © 2017 Iowa State Women's and Gender Studies, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp