April 03, 2007
Four honored as Women of Distinction
CARBONDALE, Ill. —Four women from Southern Illinois University Carbondale received Women of Distinction awards Wednesday, March 28, as the capstone to SIUC's celebration of Women's History Month.
Faculty honorees were Frances J. Harackiewicz, professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Beverly J. Love, a lecturer in radio-television. Staff awards went to Tracy M.G. Lake, an accountant in the University Programming office, and track and field head coach Connie M. Price-Smith.
Given annually by SIUC's University Professional Advancement office, these awards recognize commitment to diversity, professional leadership and service to the University and community.
Here's a closer look at the honorees.
• Harackiewicz, the engineering college's first female full professor, helped found a campus chapter of Women in Science and Engineering. She plays an active role in summer programs and special events aimed at expanding the number of women in science, mathematics and engineering fields. She also serves as a classroom reader for young children and conducts science experiments for them.
Harackiewicz is a three-degree graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, earning her bachelor's in 1984, her master's in 1986 and her doctorate in 1990. She came to SIUC in 1989 and lives in Carbondale.
A native of Chicopee, Mass., Harackiewicz is the daughter of Chicopee resident Frances C. Harackiewicz and the late Joseph M. Harackiewicz.
• Love, who began teaching at SIUC in 1998, also mentors young women and minority undergraduates, does public speaking, performs, and often serves as an on-air host for the campus public radio and television stations. In addition, she is working on a doctorate in instructional technology.
Love grew up in Rock Hill, S.C., earning her bachelor's from Rock Hill's Winthrop University in 1971 and her master's from the University of South Carolina Columbia in 1980. She expects to defend her dissertation this June.
The daughter of Rock Hill resident Eva B. Love and the late Osie E. Love. Love lives in Carbondale.
• Lake, an SIUC employee since 1999, serves as a fraternity adviser and teaches a distance learning course in addition to her work in accountancy management and support, where she makes diversity part of her daily tasks.
Now a Carterville resident, Lake grew up in Mukwonago, Wis. Her parents are Racine residents David S. and Faye A. Austin . A two-degree graduate of SIUC, Lake earned her bachelor's in 1997 and her master's in 2001.
• Price-Smith, a basketball Saluki who went on to become a four-time Olympian in track and field and was the first American woman to achieve world ranking in the shot put five consecutive years, came back to her alma mater in 2001 as head coach of women's track and field. Three years later, she became head coach of both men and women's programs.
Price-Smith recently was named head coach of women's track and field for this year's Pan American Games and has been nominated to the coaching staff of the U.S. Olympiad track and field team for next year's games in Beijing.
A native of St. Charles, Mo., Price-Smith is the daughter of St. Charles resident Ella M. Price. She lives in Carbondale.
Frances Harackiewicz
Beverly Love
Tracy Lake
Connie Price-Smith