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Women’s Commission Celebrates 30 Years

March 8 is International Women’s Day.

Three decades ago, The President’s Commission on the Status of Women was established by former Millersville University president Dr. Joseph Caputo to promote positive empowerment and a discrimination-free climate for women. Since then, the commission has aided in a handful of initiatives to improve the University, ranging from MU’s Interim Affirmative Action Plan, to the Title IX policy, the Women’s Issues Conference, Women’s Center and women’s and gender studies minor.

Racial Justice and Mindfulness Mentor, Dr. Amanda Kemp

As a celebration of their 30th year, the commission will host “Theodora Talks,” a TED talk inspired event focusing on the feminine perspective. Held at the Ware Center on March 8 at 6 p.m., this event features a series of speakers including University of Akron Women’s Studies professor, Dr. Kara Kvaran; MU Art History professor and Coordinator of The Women’s & Gender Studies program, Dr. Christine Filippone; Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE) mentor and instructor, Dr. Sarah Bryant; and Racial Justice and Mindfulness Mentor, Dr. Amanda Kemp. These speakers will be discussing issues including women in STEM, feminist art and encouraging racial conversations.

“March 8 is also International Women’s Day, a global celebration since 1911 to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. We are tying the global event to the commission’s 30th anniversary on MU’s campus,” said early, middle and exceptional education professor, Dr. Jennifer Burke.

Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education (EDGE) mentor and instructor, Dr. Sarah Bryant

Planning for this event started in December 2018 with the goal of motivating people to consider issues that women encounter, and empowering them to make a change. By helping to create an environment where women are free from discrimination and harassment, the Women’s Commission hopes to support and advocate for gender equity.

“This is the first year the commission is hosting informational speakers for an International Women’s Day event at the Ware Center, which we hope will become a yearly community celebration,” said Burke.

For more information on the Women’s Commission, please visit: https://blogs.millersville.edu/pcsw/.

For more information on the “Theodora Talks” event, please visit: millersville.edu/iwd19

 

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As gardening enthusiasts continue to nurture their spring flowers, one Millersville alum is busy managing 135 acres of vegetables, greenhouses and an orchard.<br /> <br /> Erin Spangler graduated from Millersville University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in geography with a concentration in environmental studies and a minor in biology. Now, she’s putting her degree to good use in a new position as the horticulture instructional advisor for Milton Hershey School.<br /> <br /> Spangler’s work primarily takes place in the Horticulture Center, a part of the larger Agriculture and Environmental Education program at the school, which focuses on hands-on agricultural learning. Students experience many areas of agriculture, including growing natural resources, creating products from the harvests and the agricultural business. Spangler recently began her new position after beginning as a horticulture program assistant at the end of January.<br /> <br /> “About one-third of my job is teaching horticulture-based lessons,” Spangler says. “Teachers bring their class to the Horticulture Center, and we do a hands-on lesson that ties into what they have been learning in the classroom.”<br /> <br /> Along with planning, planting and maintaining the gardening spaces, Spangler also orders seeds, starts them in the greenhouse before their transfer to the field, and she prunes and maintains blueberries and apples on-site. She is also facilitating a beekeeping club while caring for a colony of bees, and she shares that she’s excited to discuss the job she loves.<br /> <br /> “We grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, celery, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, collard greens, mustard greens, arugula, melons and more,” Spangler says. “I try to make sure that we have the basics growing, but I also like to have some fun with the produce. I enjoy having fun-colored produce, like purple haze carrots and green zebra tomatoes. I am also planning on incorporating some cut flowers within the produce fields.”
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