VOL III, NO 9

May 1997

COORDINATOR'S CORNER

We are delighted to introduce you this month to Brenda Marsteller-Kowalewski of the Sociology/Anthropology Department. She will be team-teaching a new experimental course this fall quarter with Thom Kuehls and Daily Oliver.

Spring quarter is typically a time of awards and celebrations, and the season has begun. Heartiest congratulations to Dolly Samson, chosen as the 1997-98 John S. Hinckley Fellow. Congratulations also to several WS faculty who will participate in summer workshops and institutes, including Kathleen Herndon and Priti Kumar, who have been selected to attend the SIROW summer instutute on cross-cultural studies, and Michael Wutz, who will spend a month in France at an NEH-sponsored workshop on Modernist Paris.

This month offers us a wealth of women presenting their varied experiences at Thursday convocations, beginning with Patricia Locke, a Hunkpapa Lakota and Chippewa Indian and president of the Native American Language Institute, who will speak on 1 May as one of a host of activities scheduled for Native American Emphasis Week. The following week, musician Judy Gorman will appear, in conjunction with Arts and Humanities Emphasis Week. Candace Gingrich is scheduled for 15 May and comedienne Maria Falzone will present on 22 May. Our thanks to the students organizing the convocations speakers for this exciting May schedule. This year's "Families Alive" conference also gives us the unique opportunity to hear from Maya Angelou, both at a free public lecture on Thursday evening, 8 May, and at the keynote address opening the conference on Friday morning, 9 May. Finally, on 16 May, the Utah Consortium for Women in Higher Education Spring Conference will be held at the Bumbleberry Inn in Springdale and will feature Dr. Grace Sawyer-Jones, president of the College of Eastern Utah.

FACULTY PROFILE

Dr. Brenda Marsteller-Kowalewski joined the Weber State faculty in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology in the fall of 1995. As a transplanted easterner, she received her degrees in Sociology from Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY; B.A.) and the University of Maryland (College Park; M.A. and Ph.D.) Her graduate work focused on issues of children and family, and, at Weber, she has already taught three courses in that area in addition to introductory sociology courses. We look forward to having her join the faculty ranks of the Women's Studies program when she team-teaches a new experimental course (WS 281) entitled "Power and Resistance in American Society: An Introduction to Ethnic and Women's Studies" with Daily Oliver and Thom Kuehls this coming autumn quarter.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Brenda maintains an active research program, continuing a collaboration with a University of Maryland group investigating gender inequality in the labor market over the past two decades. The group has generated an impressive list of recent and pending presentations and publications that add to Brenda's research reports in other areas of interest, comprising a rich record of original contributions that she has made to her discipline. She and the other members of the research group continue to acquire extramural funding for their research and Brenda has also been one of a group of WSU faculty sharing in a Hemingway award to support the new course for the autumn. She maintains membership in professional organizations and has been selected for membership in several honor societies.

Brenda's current professional service includes both on- and off-campus commitments as a grant reviewer, a speaker to campus groups, faculty advisor for the Sociology Club and AKD, and committee membership at the departmental and university levels. One of the more delightful of these committees that has kept her "off the streets" this year is the University Curriculum and General Education Committee, and, as Coordinator of the program, I have appreciated her insight and careful review of our proposals.

Brenda's parents had a prophetic vision when they named her after Brenda Lee. Like her namesake, she is an animated and skillful performer (although, of course, primarily in the classroom - at least for now.) Her students are enthusiastic about her classes and their interactions with the instructor they call simply "Brenda" because "Marsteller is my father's name and Kowalewski is my husband's name." Husband John is employed at the Ogden Standard-Examiner and he and Brenda both enjoy participating in sports and outdoor activities. Their adopted "children" include two cats - Squirrel and Callie - and two dogs - Fleetwood and Denver. This "blended family" undoubtedly gives her a deep well of inspiration for her research.

We welcome Brenda to the Women's Studies faculty and look forward to taking advantage of her in the future!

CALENDAR

1 May - Patricia Locke, Native American Language Institute, Convocation, 10:30 a.m.

3 May - "Creating Dialog" Utah NOW Conference, Westminster College, SLC, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m; for more information, contact Utah NOW, P.O. Box 9041, SLC, 84109.

5 May - Executive Council Meeting, SS113, 3:30 p.m.

6 May - "Rebuilding Self Esteem," Services for Women Students workshop, 12:30 p.m., SSC 152.

7 May - Services for Women Students Career Development workshop, 12:30 p.m. SSC 152. - Thought Continuum Bookstore; three local poets, Geraldine C Felt, Kevin Holdsworth, and Mary Rosa Moraga, will read from "Crossroads Anthology: What There Is." In addition, Kathryn Coles will read from her book "History of the Garden," 7 - 9 p.m.

8 May - Judy Gorman, singer, songwriter, and guitarist presents "The History of Women in Music and Performing Arts," Convocation, 10:30 a.m.

8-10 May - Families Alive Conerence, featuring Maya Angelou presenting: - free lecture, 8 May, 7:00 p.m., Dee Events Center - keynote address, 9 May, 8:30 a.m., Union Building

15 May - Candace Gingrich presents "The Accidental Activist" as one of the leading voices on gay and lesbian rights, Convocation, 10:30 a.m.

16 May - Consortium for Utah Women in Higher Education Spring Conference; Bumbleberry Inn, Springdale; for more information, call Melisa Holmes, 626-7212.

22 May - Maria Falzone, comedienne, presents "Hot, Sexy and Safer," a celebration of Safer Sex, Convocation, 10:30 a.m.

26 May - Memorial Day Holiday