La Salle celebrates Women's History month through lectures

By Katie Williams
Collegian Editor
February 28, 2007

March is Women’s History month, and to celebrate the Women’s Studies minor is presenting a lecture series called Women and Work, dedicated to women in the workplace.

This series will include five lectures, a social and the annual Take Back the Night.

“We are trying to highlight the achievements of women, and also bring to the students issues of importance for them to think about,” said the Chair of the Women’s Studies minor, Dr. Patricia Haberstroh.

“We also wanted to feature women who are out in the workplace to highlight their achievements.”

The first lecture is entitled “Women in the Law” and will take place Tuesday, March 13 from 3:30-5 p.m. in Olney 111.

“This will be presented by Elizabeth Vrato, a Chicago lawyer, La Salle alum, and author of the book, Counselors, Conversations: with 18 Courageous Women Who Have Changed the World,” Haberstroh said.

The book looks at the lives of important women in recent history, including Janet Reno, Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

She will be speaking not only about their lives, but also about what it is like to be a female lawyer.

The next lecture is “Women in Technology,” which will take place Thursday, March 15 from12:30-2 p.m. in Olney 102.

Two (CIOs) Chief Information Officers, Susan Jorfi from UNISYS Corporation and Sue Hendricks from PMA Insurance Group, will discuss the barriers and issues that face women who choose to work in technology, “a field which tends to be dominated by men,” Haberstroh said.

The next event will be the Women’s Studies Social Monday, March 19, from 1-2 p.m. in Olney 110. This will be for all students, faculty and staff who are interested in learning more about the Women’s Studies Minor, or who just want to relax and talk.

Following that will be a lecture entitled “Sexual Harassment in the Workplace,” about what it means, how to deal with it and how to avoid it.

The lecture will take place in Holroyd 9 from 3:30-5 p.m. The women running this lecture are Kristine Grady Derewicz, La Salle alum and attorney with Littler Mendelson.

This lecture is attached to a class, but all are welcome to attend.

The next lecture comes during La Salle’s Arts Awareness Week, and is co-sponsored by the Fine Arts Department.

Photographer Erika deVries will help present “Women in the Arts,” an exhibition of works by women artists, which will take place Tuesday, March 27 from 6:15-8:15 p.m. in the La Salle Art Museum.

“This event is part of an art class, but all are welcome to attend,” Haberstroh said. On March 28, S.A.V.E. will be hosting Take Back the Night on the Main Quad. The time will be announced.

The rally is an effort to stop violence against women, as well as raise awareness about violence and its consequences.

The final event for the month is “Women and Civil Rights,” which will take place from 7-9 p.m. in the Union Music Room. Sponsored by the Social Work program, in honor of its 25th anniversary, this event will include a screening of the film Standing on My Sisters’ Shoulders, followed by a discussion with producers Joan and Robert Sadoff.

williamsk1@lasalle.edu