Introduction
to Women's
Studies
VOLUME X, NUMBER 1 AUGUST 2003
COORDINATOR?S CORNER
Welcome to Fall Semester! I am
excited to have the opportunity to
work for Women's Studies in the
capacity of coordinator, following
some amazing coordinators whose
shoes will be extremely difficult to
fill. Sandra Powell has reassured me
that she and her predecessors will
support me along the way, and, of
course, we have great Women's
Studies faculty and other
supporters.
We are also very excited to have a
new Women's Studies secretary, Laura
Albright. She comes to us with a
wealth of experience and knowledge.
Please be sure to read the
introduction below and to stop by
the office to say, "Hello."
Since last year, several exciting
events have already occurred and
several others are planned already.
In July, Sandra Powell and I had the
opportunity to attend the 2003 NWSA
conference in New Orleans, LA. There
were several topics discussed that
we may all want to talk about at the
retreat. One included the need to
weave contributions of, and issues
for, Women with Disabilities (WWD's)
into our classes. We also would like
to renew our efforts to make sure
our general classes have global
women as a focus. Finally, there
were sessions discussing web
courses, some of which might serve
as cross-listed courses for women?s
studies.
Please keep the following dates and
activities in mind. The next Women?s
Studies reading group will discuss
?The House on Mango Street? by
Sandra Cisneros on Friday, September
5th; the following Friday, September
12th, we will have the Opening
Social/Retreat at Diane Krantz's
home. On Sunday, October 12th, we
will have our annual Potluck
Picnic/Book Sale; more details will
be forthcoming in the next
newsletter. We also look forward to
participating in WSU?s Major Fest on
Wednesday, October 29th, in the
Shepherd Union Ballrooms.
I look forward to working with you
all this coming year.
INTRODUCING?.
To kick off the 2003-2004 academic
year we?re using this space to
introduce you to Laura Albright, new
secretary for Women's Studies. Laura
was born and raised in Southern
California, moving as a teenager to
Colorado, where she finished high
school. Subsequently, she moved
around the country, searching for
"her place" in life. In 1982, she
found herself in Phoenix, AZ, where
she met her husband; in July, 2002,
they moved to Willard when he was
transferred to ATK Thiokol.
Laura?s baccalaureate education is a
?work in progress.? She started
coursework toward an AAS degree in
social work in Phoenix, while
working full time and being mother
and wife. Having since changed her
ideas of "what I want to be when I
grow up,? she hopes to finish a
degree at WSU.
Laura comes to us most recently from
employment with Micro-Tronics, an
aerospace manufacturing company,
where she worked as an
administrative assistant from 1998
until 2002. There she honed her
patience, among other skills;
working mostly with men, she made a
conscious decision ?to be a part of
the team instead of just a
secretary.? Although she didn?t have
an academic degree, she was
determined ?to learn ? about [the]
company and how to do the job.?
Prior to that, she worked for the
Girl Scout Council in Phoenix from
1993 to 1998; she was the council
shop manager, in charge of all sales
and merchandising of uniforms,
badges, etc. She ?loved this job
because ? the organization is great
for girls. It teaches modern day
issues and how to face and handle
them.? From 1987 to 1993, she worked
with Phoenix Parks and Recreation,
starting as a volunteer coach for
her son's T-ball team. She was
offered a position helping to build
the youth sports programs in
Phoenix, a very rewarding experience
at that time in her life. In that
position, she was able to experience
the changes in the city and become
more involved in programs targeting
the city?s youth. As a volunteer,
she worked for the At-Risk Youth in
their community centers, also
developing programs in which they
could participate and develop a
sense of belonging.
Laura?s family includes ?a 23
year-old son from a previous
marriage and a 14 year- old daughter
that I was lucky enough to acquire
in my new marriage? in addition to a
new grandson. She was very active in
playing and coaching softball until
last year. A major knee surgery
"stopped me in my tracks" and has
led to a couple surgeries. However,
she is able to enjoy hiking, camping
and anything that takes place
outdoors.
In addition to finishing her degree,
Laura is ?very excited about being
in the Women's Studies program at
WSU. I have always been a supporter
of women's issues, however, until
last year I never realized what was
involved in ?jumping in with both
feet.? The people that I have met at
WSU are wonderful and I think that I
will enjoy growing and, hopefully,
helping the women's studies program
become more visible.?
We offer an enthusiastic welcome to
Laura and hope that she is able to
achieve her goals. We look forward
to supporting her in that process as
we get to know her. Please stop by
the Women?s Studies office M, W, F:
8 AM ? 2 PM (except the lunch hour
and, this semester, 10 ? 11 AM) and
T, Th: 8 AM ? noon; introduce
yourself; and say hello to the
newest member of ?our team.?
* * * * *
Congratulations are in order for
Wangari wa Nyatetu-Waigwa, who is
serving as Acting Coordinator of the
Bachelor of Integrated Studies
Program. She assumed those duties in
May and will continue until Judy
Elsley returns from sabbatical in
January 2004.
Kudos also to Diana Page, who
performed a Brahms sonata for piano
and violin as part of the Millennium
Stage chamber music recital at
Washington?s Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts on June 15th. She
was joined by her daughter, Julia
Grueninger, principal second violin
for the Kennedy Center?s Washington
Opera Orchestra.
Services for Women Students has a
full plate of activities this fall,
including Wisdom on Wednesdays; the
usual noon discussion, held in the
Union Building Lair, is being
augmented this year with a 7 PM
presentation in the University
Village Commons Room. On 17
September, Judy Franquelin will
present ?Never Say Never: Executive
Balance.? For a complete list of
topics/presenters, contact Gloria
Perez-Jensen (626-6090.) SWS is also
teaming up again with Bringing Hope
to Single Moms in presenting ?The
Road to Self-Reliance.? Those
classes begin 18 September and run
for 10 weeks, each Thursday at 2 PM,
in SC152.
This fall, the Nontraditional
Students? Program is offering
monthly ?Konnections with Kids?
parenting workshops, beginning on 17
September with Dr. Brad Carroll
presenting ?Let?s Experiment! Fun
with Physics? at 6:30 PM, Union
Ballroom C.
CALENDAR
5 September ? WS Reading Group; 3
PM; Grounds for Coffee (25th St.)
12 September ? WS Opening
Social/Retreat; 2 ? 6 PM; Diane
Krantz?s home.
17 September ? WOW with Judy
Franquelin; ?Never Say Never:
Executive Balance.?
- Dr. Brad Carroll presenting ?Let?s
Experiment! Fun with Physics?
18 September ? ?The Road to
Self-Reliance? classes begin.
17 ? 27 Sept. ? WSU Greek Festival;
for details, visit
www.weber.edu/PerformingArts.
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