MBCNews - Female Adaptability Celebrated During Women's History Month

Female Adaptability Celebrated During Women's History Month

By Dawn Medley

2009-03-09

Are the multi-faceted women of today stronger than ever? Is there more or less support for women who carry more than one load? What tactics did Renaissance women use historically to intertwine their many roles? These are some of the questions Ruth Siboni ’09, a member of Mary Baldwin College’s Status of Women Committee, hopes will be addressed during Women’s History Month on campus in March.

“Historically, women have really had to weave a number of different components of their lives to ‘make it work,’” said Siboni, who helped develop the theme for the month, The New Renaissance Woman. “It is interesting to think about how women often become mothers, leaders, caregivers, and more, while retaining their interests, values, and spiritual beliefs.”
Women’s History Month is an opportunity to show off, celebrate, and further develop the talents of women on campus and in the community, said Ivy Arbulú, associate professor of Spanish and chair of the Status of Women Committee. Themes in previous years have been used to affirm and highlight female contributions, break taboos and stereotypes, and connect with the larger world through Mother Nature, Arbulú said. The New Renaissance Woman is a platform to explore how women adapt and flex to redefine their roles in society.
“As members of a women’s college community, we are constantly thinking about how to empower women and show examples of empowered women. This month being designated as Women’s History Month offers a chance to put those goals out into the public arena,” she said.

The planning committee is adept at using all its resources on campus. In addition to events organized specifically to support the Women’s History Month theme, several activities set up in advance by other groups are included on the calendar to highlight women in music, on stage, in academia, and in art. Some events — such as a talk by Arbulú, Professor of History Mary Hill Cole, and Professor of Art Sara Nair James ’69 — focus on historical women of the Renaissance, while others offer a modern angle, like a roundtable with the dean of Westhampton College at University of Richmond.

“My choice to come to a women’s college has made me even more aware of the contributions of women and the positive effects of single-sex education. I hope the events planned this month will be a catalyst for more discussion of those topics,” Siboni said.

Events Highlight Women’s Talents

All month:“A Woman for All Seasons: Scholarship By, For, and About Women,” book and video display highlighting female authors and exploration of women in literature. Grafton Library.

March 10:“Isabella, Elizabeth, and Juana: Three Renaissance Women.” 6:30pm, Miller Chapel.

March 11:“Women, Wavelets, and Mathematics in India,” Heena Dimplekumar. 2pm, Wenger 401.

March 15:Sunday Recital: Angela Kelly, flute and Lise Keiter-Brotzman, piano. 8pm, Francis Auditorium.

March 16:Firestone Lecture: Installation artist Judy Pfaff. 7:30pm, Francis Auditorium.

March 23:“Acting, Working, and the Real World,” American Shakespeare Center actor Allison Glenzer. 6:30pm, Spencer Center.

March 26:MBC Spring Concert: 7:30pm, First Presbyterian Church.

March 30:“What is Real About the Real World?” Juliette Landphair, dean of Westhampton College at University of Richmond, roundtable discussion with senior students. 12:00–12:50, King 108