Center plans programs to hail history of women
From mothers to sisters to teachers to role models, women play a significant role in everyone’s life.
In honor of the accomplishments set forth by women throughout history, March has been nationally designated as Women’s History Month.
With the opening of its doors in 1995, the Women’s Center has worked to encourage women and men to think about the challenges women face today. The center is looking to expand these goals with programs during March to celebrate Women’s History Month.
“Celebrating Women’s History Month is important because women have been sort of ignored historically,” said Andrea Conque, Women’s Center program coordinator. “We want to celebrate those women who contributed to our lives, the history of our country, the history of this campus and the history of the period.”
The center will recognize Helen M. Carter, the namesake of the Women’s Center building, for contributions made during her time spent at LSU. In 1927, she was the head of LSU’s Home Economics department. In addition, she held two master degrees and a doctorate in college education from New York University. While at LSU, Carter requested home economics be excluded from the list of graduation requirements for women.
“This is an interesting and educational opportunity and cultural experience,” said business senior Alice Montestruc.
The theme of Women’s History month is the “History of the Women’s Center, Extending to History of Women on the LSU campus.” Conque said center members chose the theme because of the move from Hatcher Hall to the Helen M. Carter house, located next to the African American Cultural Center on Raphael Semmes Drive.
“[Women’s History Month] is a good thing because most people don’t know about history,” said Jodie Powell, a general studies junior.
To kick off Women’s History Month, Sen. Mary Landrieu will be speaking March 4 at 11 a.m. in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom. In addition, Marcie Fisher, a former Women Organizing Women member, will come from North Carolina, where she is director of Advocacy and Diversity coordinator for the Center for Healthy Student Behaviors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to speak about the history of the Women’s Center.
“[We] hope that the celebration of Women’s History Month will serve to empower and educate both women and men on campus and to educate them as well about women’s’ contributions to history,” Conque said.
Samantha Sieber