Women's history month events

Women's history month activities this year on campus will include activism, presentations and discussions to tie in with the month's theme, “Honoring Trailblazing Women: Blazing Our Own Trail.” All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Throughout the month, the university will display in Blaisdell Hall a collection of Women's History Month banners that have been signed by students, faculty and staff each year.

During meal times on March 13 and 17, the Women's History Month committee will offer “Postcard Activism” in the Frame-Westerberg Commons. Students and others are encouraged to write to their state representatives explaining why they came to Pitt-Bradford and the value of their experiences at the college. Materials and help will be available to help writers know to whom they should address their cards.

The post cards will be delivered by those who plan to visit the capitol as part of Pitt Day in Harrisburg, an annual event in which students, faculty, staff and alumni visit legislators to advocate for the university.

Orin James, instructor of biology, will make presentations on two prominent women scientists and lead participants in a short experiment concerning her work. At 6:30 p.m. March 15, in Room 205 of Fisher Hall, he will talk about Marie Curie, the 19th century Nobel prize-winning physicist and chemist who pioneered research on radioactivity.

At 6:30 p.m. March 22 in Fisher 205, James will present on Florence Nightingale, who is considered the founder of modern nursing. Seating for both events is limited. Those wishing to attend should make a reservation with James at ojames@pitt.edu.

Also on March 15, the YWCA Bradford will sponsor a free showing of the Oscar-nominated movie “Hidden Figures” at 7:30 p.m. at the Main Street Movie House on Main Street in Bradford.

On March 16, the 12th annual Empty Bowls and Baskets Dinner will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Mukaiyama University Room in the Frame-Westerberg Commons. The event is an effort to bring awareness to the fight against hunger as well as raise money to support the Friendship Table.

A $10 donation is suggested for a meal of homemade breads, soup and desserts. Diners can also choose a ceramic bowl, woven basket or a napkin set to take home.

An evening discussion and interactive event, “Strategies for Blazing Your Own Trail - Empowering Trailblazing Women” will be held at 7:30 p.m. March 20 in Bromeley Family Theater in Blaisdell Hall. This event replaces a previously announced visit by Rebecca Walker. The campus-community dialogue event will include sharing testimonials of trailblazing women, small group dialogues about how women can identify and pursue trails to blaze and a networking mocktail reception.

An open mic night sponsored by Baily's Beads literary magazine, the Writing Center and the Writing Program, will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Harriett B. Wick Chapel.

The committee will hold two campus discussions on “The F Word,” which, in this case, refers to feminism. On March 23, Akire Hoots and Stephanie Eckstrom will lead a talk with the topic “Women's Sexualities: Myths and Realities.” Hoots is a sociology major from Columbia, S.C.; Eckstrom is the coordinator of the Master of Social Work program at Pitt-Bradford. The discussion will occur twice, first at noon in Room 218 of the Frame-Westerberg Commons and a second time at 9 p.m. in Room 162 of Swarts Hall.

The second talk will be led by Selena Benitez-Cuffee, an international affairs, history-political science and business management major from Columbia, Md., and Dr. Tracee Howell, assistant professor of English, at noon March 28 and at 9 p.m. March 30, both times in Room 162 Swarts Hall. The topic will be “Intersectional Feminisms.”

At noon, March 29, “Women's Voices” in the arts will be the topic as composer Daniela Candillari and poet Tanta Holtland give a joint presentation of their creative work, followed by a roundtable discussion of issues of gender diversity in the arts with Pitt-Bradford faculty members Dr. Nancy McCabe, professor of writing, and Dr. Joshua Groffman, assistant professor of music. The event will be held in the KOA Speer Lobby of Blaisdell Hall.

To cap off the month's celebration, the student La Casas club will sponsor a screening of the movie “In the Time of the Butterflies” about three sisters who plot to overthrow the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo. The movie will be shown at 9 p.m. April 1 in the University Room.