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CSB celebrates Women's Month

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March 1, 2010

Jessica Valenti (Photo credit Adam Joseph)

Four public events will highlight Women's Month in March at the College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph.

The theme of the month is "Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Future." Throughout the month, women's leadership will be viewed from a historical standpoint and then taking that knowledge to help create a new future for women's leadership in business, life and personal relationships.

Jessica Valenti will deliver the month's keynote address at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 16 in Alumnae Hall, Haehn Campus Center. She will present a vision of feminism that discredits myths and stereotypes and focuses on the future.

Valenti is a feminist writer who is the founder and editor of the blog and online community, Feministing.com. She is the author of three books, and her writing has appeared in a number of magazines. She has a master's degree in women's and gender studies from Rutgers University, where she is also a part-time lecturer.

Other public events during the month include:

  • "A History of the Female Body," a discussion on how body image affects leadership, is at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11 in the Sister Nancy Hynes Institute of Women's Leadership, Haehn Campus Center. The discussion will be facilitated by Anna Mercedes, assistant professor of theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University. A panel will speak about how growing up as a girl has changed over the past 100 years, and what young women can do to develop a positive self image that emphasizes inner strength and leadership.
  • The film "Iron Ladies of Liberia" will be shown at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 18 in room 128, Henrita Academic Building. The film tells the story of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was inaugurated on Jan. 16, 2006, as the first freely elected female head of state in Africa. After surviving a 14-year civil war and a struggling, corrupt government, Johnson Sirleaf is attempting to bring change to Liberia. She relies on an extraordinary team of women as they work together to save their people from destruction.
  • A panel discussion on "Women in Male Dominated Professions" will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, March 22 at Alumnae Hall, Haehn Campus Center. The panel will speak about women going beyond expectations and succeeding in a workplace dominated by men. These women will provide great examples of where motivated women can go to succeed professionally. A reception will follow the panel.

Women's Month is co-sponsored by the Sister Nancy Hynes Institute for Women's Leadership and the CSB Student Senate. "A History of the Female Body" is co-sponsored by the Intercultural Center at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University. All the events have been planned by students at CSB.