Inspire... Influence... Innovate

On Friday, March 16, 2012 I had the privilege of attending the 3^rd annual Women’s Summit sponsored by the Committee on the Status of Women. The Summit has quickly become a special annual event for me and many others at Creighton. This year’s Summit charged its participants to Inspire, Influence and Innovate. As I reflect on these powerful words, I am reminded of where I find my inspiration, and have chosen to dedicate this post to those who inspire me.

As a partner/spouse, a mother, and a professional committed to students and to learning, I often find my days to be more hectic and full than I had planned on them being. My days begin well before sunrise and often go well into the evening, but I thrive on the people that surround me every day at Creighton.  And I have found that it is when I pause for a moment and make the time to be present with the people that surround me every day, I find my inspiration.

Arriving at Creighton in 1997, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would be here 15 years later. But I have to admit that I am smitten by Creighton. We are blessed to have a rich tradition that was inspired by the Creightons, specifically the Wareham sisters, Mary Lucretia and Sarah Emily. We all are the daily benefactors of their generosity. Inspired by a vision and blessed with the means, these sisters were instruments of the founding of Creighton University, CUMC and St. John's Church. Throughout the past 130 plus year, the idea of Creighton has flourished and served many.

Doubly blessed, Creighton was started in 1878 by the Jesuits at the request of Bishop James O’Connor. The Jesuits brought with them a rich tradition and values that still guide our community today. As members of the Creighton community, we are inspired by the Ignatian tradition, and have many reminders of how we are all called to share our gifts and talents for the Greater Glory of God.

My inspiration comes from the people in the Creighton community that share freely of their gifts and talents every single day, and most often without even knowing how much they lift my spirits. That being said, there are a few special women that I want to salute in this post because they are the people that make Creighton special to me.

Almost every morning when I arrive at the Harper Center, I have the distinct pleasure of being greeted by Doris. Her gentle spirit and warm heart are easily felt by all who take a moment to greet her as she works to keep the Harper Center clean and inviting for all who enter. She knows me and cares about me. Always making sure I’m taking care of myself. Another person that goes above and beyond to care for others in our community is Erica. She works many hours with Sodexo while raising a beautiful family. Erica shares her hope for the future with me while opening doors of opportunity for her children by teaching them the value of an education. My interactions with these two beautiful women remind me of humanity and give me hope for the future.

There is trio of women that mean the world to me. They are my calm in the storm and often serve as the cornerstone to a fast-pace, dynamic work environment. Sarah, Joan and Cheryl, operate in a stealth-like mode, quick to swoop in to save the day and then they quietly go about their day without the expectation of thanks or recognition. They exemplify the true spirit of Creighton by their words and by their actions. Their mission is to serve others and they do it very well.

Finally, there is another trio of women that I am privileged to know. Michele, Desiree and Allison were the masterminds of this year’s Women’s Summit and amazing leaders with a vision to improve the status of women at Creighton. I am inspired to be more because of these amazing ladies. Their labor of love for the Creighton community was the 3^rd annual Women’s Summit, Inspire, Influence, and Innovate. Resulting from their vision, hard work and dedication, these women demonstrate the Jesuit value of contemplatives in action and their thoughtful vision is challenging the Creighton University community to be the best it can be.

Kindly,

Dr. Tanya Winegard

Associate Vice President for Student Life

Birth of an Advocate

In 2008, my husband and I received the exciting news that we would soon be parents.  Interspersed with our excitement was a maze of informing the appropriate people, filling out FMLA, disability, and benefits paperwork, training coworkers and redistributing work.  I remember specifically musing during that time, ‘I’ve never had six weeks off before, what do you do with that time?’.  Following a difficult birth resulting in an emergency c-section, I soon learned. While healing from surgery, I was awake every 2-3 hours for feeding, changing and becoming acquainted with our new little one. I had the opportunity to see his first smile, coos, learn his cries for hunger, changing and boredom, and his preferences for play and interaction, which were fundamental in establishing our bond and a pattern in our lives.  Ironically, after six weeks I was still healing and wondered how some return to work that quickly.  Nevertheless, at 8 weeks my doctor signed my ‘Fit for Duty’ paperwork and I returned to work.

While discussing my story with others, I quickly realized how lucky I was to receive that time off.  With no parental leave policy in place at Creighton, stories were prevalent of the difficult situation new parents face.  Often, faculty members return to work days or weeks after childbirth to fulfill teaching or other obligations. Staff members and students are not immune either.  For example, a staff member depleted her leave while on bed rest and had to return to work early while her daughter was still in critical condition in the neonatal intensive care unit.  Another staff member had two children too close together and hadn’t had time to accrue sick or vacation time to cover her leave.  Notably, job security isn’t the only risk, if an employee doesn’t have accrued vacation or sick leave, or for whatever reason do not have short-term disability coverage, the employee may have to take an unpaid leave. Likewise, a graduate student had to be back after three days, because ‘student workers’ do not qualify for FMLA and there is no guarantee the position or stipend will be held. Complicating this situation, daycare centers will not accept infants prior to 6-8 weeks, so the new parent must have a stable support system in order to achieve this early return.  Furthermore, whether or not travel to another country is involved, adoptive parents are only able to use vacation to cover their leave, diminishing their ability to bond with their child.   Unfortunately, these are merely examples of a systemic problem.  While reflecting on these experiences in relation to the Creighton University mission and how it recognizes “the importance of family life” and the core Jesuit value of Cura Personalis, I struggled with how we live out these principals.  In accordance with our mission, I believe we can do better!

As a result, I have had the distinct privilege of working with a group of amazing and talented individuals on the Committee on the Status of Women as we crafted a proposal requesting paid parental leave for Creighton benefits eligible faculty and staff, which will be presented to the cabinet soon.  I believe this plan better adheres to our core values and will be strategic in recruitment and retention of talented faculty and staff. In addition, members of our committee have put together a checklist for leave that Human Resources can provide to expectant parents to dispel the mystery associated with appropriate forms and deadlines regarding parental leave.  Together, I hope these steps are effective in alleviating some of the stress associated with becoming a new parent. 

When aspiring to improve your world, one doesn’t always need to look far.  What is your passion? How do you strive to impact your world?  What can you do to be an agent of change?

Kindly,

Marsha Pierce

Graduate Student, Biomedical Sciences

Celebrating Women's History Month

Well, it’s March Madness, and for some of us, that means more than basketball mania (though we surely ALSO chant “Go, Jays!” as our men and women athletes head into tournament play). March is National Women’s History Month (WHM), which means that various groups around campus will be busy hosting events for the campus community in weeks ahead (more on that shortly). As WHM gets underway today, first, I want to wish the Creighton community “Happy Women’s History Month!” We here at Creighton have marked Women’s History Month for a number of years, but since some students recently asked me how it got started and what it’s about, here’s a mini-history.

Women’s history was an unknown topic in the K-12 curriculum and in public consciousness as recently as the 1970’s. To rectify this, the Commission on the Status of Women in Sonoma County California initiated Women’s History Week in 1978. Leaders of organizations for women and girls soon initiated local observances of Women’s History Week throughout the country, and in 1981, the original California organizers, spurred by the interest spreading across the country, secured a Congressional Resolution, sponsored by Representative Barbara Mikulski (Dem – Maryland) and Senator Orrin Hatch (Rep – Utah), declaring a “National Women’s History Week.” Throughout the 1980’s state departments of education encouraged celebrations of National Women’s History Week, seeing them as a means to pursue equity goals within classrooms. The week-long celebration was extended to a month in 1987, when the National Women’s History Project (NWHP) petitioned Congress to expand the celebration to the entire month of March, resulting in a Resolution passed in both houses of Congress with bipartisan support. Since 1987, then, six American presidents have issued Proclamations in support of National Women’s History Month. Every year the month of March affords an opportunity to learn more about women’s experiences and to honor their achievements and contributions to our world.

Each year the National Women’s History Project selects a theme for the national celebration and recognizes national honorees whose lives and work testify to that theme. The theme of WHM 2012 is Women’s Education, Women’s Empowerment. That theme is especially meaningful for us here at Creighton, given our identity as an educational institution. The history of Creighton, once an all-male institution but now co-educational, reflects the advance of women’s education that was achieved nationally thanks to the efforts of previous generations of women in partnership with men who shared their vision. Those efforts culminated in 1972 with Title IX of the Education Codes of the Higher Education Act Amendments. This legislation, passed in 1977, prohibited gender discrimination by federally funded institutions and facilitated women’s fuller participation in all aspects of education, from scholarships to athletics to classes formerly closed to women. To learn more about this year’s theme and the women being honored for their contributions to the advance of women’s education, visit www.nwhp.org.

Women’s History Month, then, affords an opportunity for us to learn, to celebrate, to reflect and give thanks, to advocate, and to renew our commitment to that precious gospel and Ignatian ideal of justice (right relation), in this case, gender justice. There are lots of ways to do so; for example, attend some of the WHM organized by various campus groups - the Lieben Center, Women’s and Gender Studies, the Committee on the Status of Women, the Kenefick Chair in Humanities, among others. These include a celebration of Women’s Words of Wisdom, lectures (e.g., the Tenth Annual Women and Religion lecture which this year focuses on the REAL “First Lady,” biblical Eve), films about women and body image, panel discussions, even a Women’s Summit. And/Or . . . organize your own celebration with some friends or your sorority sisters, or watch a film about women. Since this is an election year, Iron-Jawed Angels, about the women who won us women the right to vote, would be a good choice; or to learn more about the struggles of women around the world, watch Academy Award winning Saving Face, or read books like A Thousand Sisters or Half the Sky. To get involved in advocacy on behalf of women, check-out the websites of organizations committed to the advancement of women; they are listed at the back of the book Half the Sky. Other ideas: think about taking a WGS course next fall or declaring a WGS minor (yes, that “MINOR that makes a MAJOR difference”); support our women athletes during March Madness by taking a seat in the stands and cheering for our ‘Jays; celebrate the women who grace your life; express your thanks to a woman mentor; be a mentor to a girl or woman who needs and wants what you have to offer. Above all, let’s be thankful for the education that empowers us to be ourSELVES . . . for OTHERS. 

Kindly,

Dr. Susan Calef

Assistant Theology Professor

Director, Women's and Gender Studies

Women's Issues

I have always been passionate about women’s issues. I grew up in an all-female household with a mother who was politically very active. From an early age, I noticed that men and women in Switzerland were treated differently, and this merely because of their differing power status. I remember questioning this bias and wanting to figure out the origins of these differences. At a more fundamental level, I wondered why boys and girls differed and whether there were any environmental reasons for those differences. In many ways, this curiosity led me to my current research and teaching interests.

When I started my undergraduate studies at Creighton University, I did not really know what I wanted to study. I thought that International Relations would be a good match with my interests in politics and my multi-lingual experiences. However, when I took my first psychology course, I understood that this was the path I wanted to pursue. I loved my introductory psychology course. Not only was my professor an inspiring teacher, but I was also made aware that one could scientifically examine behaviors and thoughts. This was the start of an amazing journey of discovery. As part of a research methods lab, I examined differences in men and women’s memory. I wanted to know why in my all-male household, I seemed to be the only one who could remember where my boys’ and husband’s things were (even though they had misplaced the items). I continued that research focus throughout my graduate career. Over the years, it included answering questions such as: what do boys and girls think of gendered toys, how does their understanding of gender affect their play, how do these thought patterns influence their behaviors, performance, and interests later in life, why is there a lack of women in the physical sciences, how can cognitive gender differences be eliminated, etc. Some of the studies have shown that there are ways to attenuate these differences through certain environmental experiences (e.g., video game play, other leisure activities, etc.).

My teaching interests have also evolved to include women’s issues. A few years ago, I created one of my favorite courses: Women and Gender. As part of the course, students are asked to experience our gendered world and reflect on it. Currently, together with several female professors, I am developing a new online course in Women and Leadership. This course will likely be featured (with a few differences) in our new graduate certificate in Women’s Leadership. I hope that many of you will join our first class in the near future!

Kindly,

Dr. Isabelle D. Cherney

Associate Dean of the Graduate School and University College

Director, Interdisciplinary Ed.D. Program in Leadership

Professor of Psychology

Balancing Passions

It seems particularly appropriate that in the last few minutes of Valentine’s Day, I am writing about those things for which I have passion.  My first answer to the question, “What are you passionate about?” is my family.   The second, is my job in Creighton’s biology department. Interestingly they are intimately intertwined.  It was at Creighton in 1989 that I was first introduced to my husband Eric. We were both sophmores at Creighton, both newly declared biology majors, and, even though I had not noticed it before, in many of the same courses.   At first, we didn’t really get along- we had very different political opinions and argued our positions fervently.  Our interest in biology though was shared.  Along with a few other biology majors, we soon developed a tight nit group of friends that studied together, TA’ed together, did research together, ran Bio club, and continued to argue about politics or other issues.  The biology department and our faculty mentors had a profound affect on our development as young people.  As time continued, Eric and I grew closer and our friendship evolved into a marriage graced with two unbelievably amazing boys.  I am grateful everyday that my undergraduate experience at Creighton led me to Eric, Preston and Lucas.

It is precisely my undergraduate experience at Creighton that motivates me now as I serve as a faculty member to current Creighton undergraduates in the Biology department.  I am passionate about my desire for Creighton students and, in particular female students, to experience the intellectual challenge and close mentorship that I did when I was an undergraduate student.  I may not have always liked the work I had to put into studying for my courses but the effort required of me from my professors paid off in many ways.  I developed studying and time management skills.  I learned how to interact with and teach my peers.  I was taught how to digest primary literature and interpret experimental data.  I shown how to do form a hypothesis, develop my own experiments, analyze data, and present my work.  All of my coursework, teaching and research provided me with the tools and confidence to pursue a doctoral degree in biology.  I continue to use these same tools now as I balance family with teaching and research as an assistant professor.  Hopefully the my presence as a female faculty member (along with my other female colleagues) shows younger women that one can balance work outside of the home and family if they so choose.  As faculty, I firmly believe that my most important role is to pass on the intellectual, time management, and communication skills I developed as an undergraduate biology major to my students.  I am passionate about my duty to push students beyond their comfort zone in the classroom and laboratory so that they can expand their own skill set and increase their confidence as they prepare for future challenges in life. 

Kindly,

Dr. Annemarie Shibata

Assistant Biology Professor

Returning to the Center

Greetings from Afrika. My name is Audrianna Edmonds and I am a senior at Creighton University. I have been given the opportunity to spend my last semester of my undergraduate career in Ifrane, Morocco. As it relates to academia, I am a Justice and Society major, but my passion lies in the study of indigenous peoples all over the world with hopes of correcting social ills through means of non-violence.

 

I would like to dedicate this blog post to Dr. Ashton Welch who has since transcended, but remains a mental reminder of what a man or woman can be when he or she maximizes more than the 10% of his or her brain. For those who were not fortunate enough to meet Dr. Welch, he was a scholar in academia, but more importantly on his knowledge of self. He served the function of a respected history professor at CU. I was signed up for four of his African studies courses and not soon before school was intended to start last fall he transcended. Through only 2-3 momentary interactions with him and the overwhelming presence of his spirit, an insatiable global curiosity of what he had seen, studied and what he knew to be truth was planted into me.

So why Afrika? I think it’s important to establish early on that Afrika was not an idealistic pursuit fabricated to avoid post-graduate decisions or to become more “peace.” In fact it was just the opposite. Living and operating in an industry of illusions keeps society in a permanent state of drunkenness (a social state of lack of expectation and/or intense focus on preoccupation). Chief Crow Dog said, “When we sober up we start asking questions.” Consequently, it makes sense that everyday life is geared to keep people drunk. In my infancy of sobriety, I have come to realize that life is about returning to a pure state.

Consider this analogy: When people are conceived they are a seed. The seed is the heart. Life markets the seed and teaches the seed that it needs to consider going through some processing to make it more “refined.” The seed is sprayed, spayed, dunked, punked (something that can’t recognize its own power), mass produced, sterilized and packaged to the global society. The seed now has layers that represent protection, exclusivity and homogeneity.

Afrika represents finding my mother because I was machine-made; genetically I am not aware of my original creator. John Neafsey wrote that prayer is a countercultural experience. “Prayer with feet” is living one’s life undoing the mechanization that life once meant and promoting this countercultural experience in hopes that one day, after I have found my mother, I now stripped naked will be able to return to my Father.

Kindly,

Audrianna Edmonds

Senior, Justice and Society

Reflections on Declaring Womanhood

It was June of 1998 and I was 24 years old, about to end my 2 year commitment to work and live in rural Namibia in the Peace Corps and I was travelling across South Africa. In Durban my friends and I were walking back from the beach and in front of us was a 100+lb. monitor lizard meandering down the sidewalk. I know most Americans’ images of Africa include animals but this is Durban…an eclectic modern African city. The home to the best surf in Africa, a vibrant Indian population and the descendants of Shaka himself, all overlaid with a British colonial veneer. We followed the lizard and soon a young guy with his arms and neck sleeved in tattoos grabbed him and picked him up like a sack of potatoes and slung him over his shoulder. Wouldn’t you want to know more? We did, and one thing led to another. In about 3 hours I had my first tattoo, an arm band around my left bicep with a female symbol in the middle.

I got my tattoo in the only Hell’s Angels tattoo parlor in Africa (not that I am particularly proud of that but it is an interesting fact) from Ricky, the son of the founder of the club and the parlor. Anyone with a tattoo knows they will be asked in that awkward interaction ‘what does it mean.’ Usually I am asked by an acquaintance and I wiggle to feel out how much this person wants to know,  how much I want them to know, and how much they can ‘handle to truth,” to quote Colonel Jessop in A Few Good Men.  I often think “you don’t want to know the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties you want me to have this tattoo, you need me to have this tattoo." In actuality, I usually say an ambiguous line that hints at depth but provides none, like “I got it at a time in my life that I was feeling really good about being a woman.”

I started at Creighton 5 years ago and attended my first Psychology Honor Society Christmas Party. I didn’t know the students too well and I was just getting to know my colleagues, who at this point in time had seen my tattoo. It was an intimate party with 15 students and 10 or so faculty. We were all chatting when the conversation quieted for a moment. Then a student, that I didn’t know very well said with a giggle, “Dr. Brown, we were all wondering what your tattoo means”. ……..the music stopped, everyone was looking at me. I was speechless.

When I got the tattoo I didn’t have the language to describe it. The complex motivations were all there but not the language to pull them together and share them. It was how I lived then, feeling my way through life. Since, I have had the privilege to slow down and study, quieting myself enough to think about the meaning of many things, including my tattoo.

Motivations to tattoo range from the trivial to the deep; impulse, physical endurance, beautification, personal narrative, spiritual, or cultural tradition. Subcultural membership, or the wish to belong to a certain social circle, has long been mentioned as reasons to obtain body modifications. Body ornaments as permanent sign of commitment are fairly common but also the wish to belong to a certain community or to openly show affiliations to subcultural groups have been important for many years.

I wanted to show my affiliation to the community of women. The good and the bad, the weak and the strong, the living and the dead “Well Jill, you already, do, right? You were born a female." But to me, it was a psychological rite of passage. It was a declaration that this is my affiliation. The redundancy for me was the meaning. Defining and declaring that I was a woman, an agent in the process.  Like many in my peer group I also wanted to create and maintain my identity, being special and distinctive from others.  I was thinking about coming back to live in the US in the community that I was raised. I had just had a formative experience of living with a family, in a society that operated under very different assumptions. But for me, there was really only one choice: the female symbol.

The control of my own appearance reflected the creation of this identity for me. This tattoo was not for men:  it was mine. It was my own declaration that my journey as a woman was starting anew. Researchers have found that some women create a new understanding of their body and reclaim possession through body modification and the permanent marking. The reclamation of the body plays an important role, assigning tattoos and piercings a self-healing effect. Perhaps I wasn’t healed but I was on the way.

Kindly,

Dr. Jill Brown

Assistant Psychology Professor