January 27, 2016
35 students selected for Women’s Civic Institute
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Thirty-five female students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale have been selected to participate in the Women’s Civic Institute, a program designed to promote personal development, enhance civic involvement and promote an understanding of democratic leadership principles.
The Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism at SIU developed the Women’s Civic Institute (WCI) during the fall 2012 semester and the program, which is open to undergraduate and graduate students, started the following spring.
According to Mythili Rundblad, coordinator of the Center for Service-Learning and Volunteerism, the need for such an initiative is “compelling.”
“While women comprise three-quarters of the staff at large non-profit organizations, only 21 percent have leadership roles according to www.associationsnow.com,” she said. “And while women constitute more than 50 percent of the country’s population, less than 20 percent of Congress, 22 percent of statewide executive offices and 23 percent of the state legislatures are female, according to www.encore.org. Leadership in elective office is critical because public policy that affects most facets of our lives is shaped by elected leaders.”
Each year the center selects WCI participants on the basis of applications and interviews to participate in a semester-long experience that includes a variety of opportunities to learn and grow. The students will participate in workshops, discussion panels, community service projects and networking events where they will connect with female leaders from campus and beyond. They will also visit Springfield and meet with women legislators, directors and lobbyists and learn of the challenges and rewards involved in developing and implementing public policy.
Those selected to participate in the 2016 Women’s Civic Institute, listed by hometown with major and year, are:
Anna
- Yvet Youssef, communication studies, master’s student
Bloomington/Normal
- Kelli Tilford, political science, freshman
Buffalo Grove
- Shayna Brook, health education, senior
Calumet City
- Janeise Davis, computer engineering, freshman
Champaign
- Erin Brown, speech language pathology, senior
Chicago
- Ariana Arnone, communication studies, senior
- Dianna Balan, communication disorders and sciences, master’s student
- Jordan “Jori” Bonadurer, secondary English education, freshman
- Kyra Lee, English, junior
- Kelly Meloy, business management, sophomore
- Kia Smith, journalism, senior
Effingham
- Ellen Lechman, communication studies, sophomore
Goreville
- Izabella Bradford, microbiology, sophomore
Haineville
- Sarah O’Malley, accounting, junior
Joliet
- Franchesca Alejo, junior, aviation flight and international studies, junior
Milford
- Alissa Toteroh, biomedical science, freshman
Plainfield
- Nadiyah Yakoubou, exploratory student, sophomore
Pontiac
- Clair Bammann, civil/environmental engineering, freshman
Shawneetown
- Shay Wood, psychology, sophomore
South Beloit
- Meagan Rottman, civil and environmental engineering, senior
Springfield
- Monica Summers, criminology and criminal justice, doctoral student
St. Charles
- Taylor Horlock, special education, freshman
Taylorville
- Lauren Pearce, accounting, junior
Round Lake
- Kelsey Spencer, child and family services, senior
Wheaton
- Elizabeth Shlah, social work, junior
Alabama
Huntsville
- Amanda Marshall, environmental resources and policy programming, doctoral student
Colorado
Montrose
- Elise Unger, outdoor recreation, sophomore
Kentucky
Eddyville
- Julia Freeman, health education, doctoral student
Michigan
St. Joseph
- Ashley Booth, industrial design, sophomore
Ohio
Lima
- Megan Brown, animal science, sophomore
Oklahoma
Broken Arrow
- Jennie Mook, zoology, master’s student
Brazil
Florianopolis
- Catarina Alves, counseling, doctoral student
Nigeria
- Oghenetekevwee “Ashler” Ogbebor
Sudan
Khartoum
- Asia Abobaker, mechanical engineering, master’s student
Vietnam
Hanoi
* Diep Duong, political science, doctoral student