March 28, 2013
Gala recognizes women faculty, staff and students
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale students, faculty, and staff faculty earned scholarships and recognition recently at the 17th annual “Celebrate Women: Honoring Inclusive Excellence Women’s Scholarships Luncheon and Awards Ceremony.
The event commemorates March as Women’s History Month and honors women and their achievements. Approximately 200 people gathered for the event, and organizers said this year’s celebration was a major success -- doubling in attendance and scholarship funds raised.
Speakers included Chancellor Rita Cheng, Janet M. Fuller, anthropology professor and director of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies program, and Linda McCabe Smith, associate chancellor for institutional diversity. Mallary Allen, recipient of the 2012 Marlene Rotbart Matten Academic Excellence in Health Research Award also delivered a presentation.
The gala included a silent auction of donated items from area vendors and artists, a graduate student research poster gallery, and a “Visions from the Goddess Series” art display from Fern Logan, professor emerita from the Department of Cinema and Photography. Jeanine Wagner, professor and director of the School of Music, and Margaret Simmons, music professor emerita, presented the musical “voices of African American Women Composers.”
Those receiving female faculty research, scholarly and creative activity recognition, listed along with their projects and hometowns if available, were:
- Angela Aguayo, assistant professor, Cinema and Photography, “The Ritual,” a 4-minute personal autobiographical documentary.
- Valerie Boyer, assistant professor, Rehabilitation Institute, promoting language and literacy.
- Julia Champe and Dorea Glance, assistant professors, Educational Psychology and Special Education, development, implementation and assessment of a career and life effectiveness program at Zeigler-Royalton High School.
- Laura Morthland, assistant professor, School of Architecture, design/build research collaborative.
- Patricia Saleeby, assistant professor, School of Social Work, for improving breast health services for women with disabilities in rural Illinois.
- Wenjing Xie, assistant professor, School of Journalism, for “I am Living with Facebook: How Facebook Use Influences College Students’ Anxiety, Depression, Loneliness and Life Satisfaction.”
Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Student Scholarship recipients were:
- Janelle Briggs of Monroe, La., speech communications doctoral student, Elizabeth Eames Women’s Studies Graduate Scholarship.
- Anushka Dikshit of Mumbai, cellular and systemic molecular doctoral student, Marlene Rotbart Matten Academic Excellence in Health Research Award.
- Carol McCann, law, Deb Morrow Graduate Scholarship.
- Lindsay Strieker, Jackson, Mo., dental hygiene, senior, Donna M. Summerfield Women’s Studies Undergraduate Scholarship.
The American Association of University Women Scholarship recipients were:
- Jordee Justice of Du Quoin, business administration master’s student, Graduate Scholarship.
- Stephanie Eastwood of Carterville, chemistry doctoral student, Joyce A. Kelly Memorial Scholarship.
- Shawna Talluto, education, Lelia Marvin Scholarship (for a John A. Logan College student who is transferring to SIU Carbondale).
Recipients of the inaugural University Women’s Professional Advancement Mentoring Award, created to reward and cultivate a mentoring culture on campus, were:
- Lisabeth DiLalla, professor, behavioral social science/psychology, UWPA Tenure Track Faculty Mentoring Award.
- Anna Jackson, English lecturer, UWPA Non-Tenure Track Faculty Mentoring Award.
- Paula Parks, workforce education and development administrative assistant I, UWPA Civil Service Mentoring Award.
- Nanditha Balasubramanian, associate director for institutional advancement, SIU Foundation, UWPA Administrative/Professional Mentoring Award.
- Doreen Hees, zoology office administrator, UWPA Civil Service Mentoring Circle Facilitator.
- Elizabeth Chester, general counsel and legal affairs administrative aide, ConnectionS leader.
- Joyce Metcalf, Library Affairs senior library specialist, ConnectionS leader.
- Sandy Schenk, University College accountant II, ConnectionS leader.
The Women’s Intersport Network (WIN) for Southern Illinois presented inaugural awards to:
- Charlotte West, former SIU Carbondale associate athletic director and coach, Pioneer Award.
- Jennifer Stanley, kinesiology instructor, and retired Carbondale Community High School teacher and coach, Mentor Award.
- Sarah Goodale, Carbondale Community High School, Outstanding Female High School Athlete Award.
- Taylor Odom, Goreville High School, Courage Award
Event sponsors and donors included SIU’s Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, University Women’s Professional Advancement (UWPA), the Carbondale branch of American Association of University Women, Women’s Intersport (WIN) for Southern Illinois, Lush Aveda, Global Gourmet, Murphysboro Apple Festival, Schnuck’s, Newel House Bistro Café, Harbaugh’s Café, Longbranch Coffeehouse, Jerry’s Flower Shoppe, Leigh Wolf, Blue Sky Vineyard, Hilary Chandler, and Jan York.