USM Women’s History Month Schedule of Events set for March 2024

Mon, 03/04/2024 - 02:43pm | By: David Tisdale

The Committee of Services and Resources for Women (CSRW) at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is sponsoring a series of events and activities to mark Women’s History Month 2024 throughout March, beginning March 6 with the Peggy Jean Connor Awards Research Presentations that honor the late Hattiesburg Civil Rights activist.

The Peggy Jean Connor Award is given annually to support faculty and students at USM who are pursuing research or professional development activities focused on issues of importance to/for/about women (available via Zoom noon – 1 p.m.; see attached flyer for web access info). This year’s event will include research presentations by last year's winners Bhagyashree Barhate and Malvika Narayan.

Other USM Women’s History Month events are as follow:

March 7:  Lecture by Dr. Sylvia Knight Norton, executive director of the American Association of School Librarians, available via Zoom, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.; see attached flyer for access information. Dr. Norton has been involved in a broad range of programs related to school libraries, from technology implementation to school library construction and to the development of standards.

March 19:  Hear an interdisciplinary panel of five faculty members discuss ways that women's lives are studied in and through humanities disciplines. Facilitated by USM faculty member Dr. Nicolle Jordan, 12:15 - 1 p.m., Liberal Arts Building room 101.

March 20: Graduate Student Panel discussion featuring USM School of Psychology students Shiza Shahid, Saba Shahid, and Olajuwon Olagbegi. Moderated by: Jenna Dittman, 1-2:30 p.m., Thad Cochran Center, room 210.

March 21: Women's History Month Dance Concert featuring choreography and performance by faculty and students in the USM Dance program. Dances created for and by women, 12:30 - 1 p.m., Studio 115, Theatre and Dance Building.

March 26: “We Won't Give Up On This Until We Get It.” This year's Baird Fellowship winner will offer a lecture on Mississippi Women's Organizations and the long fight for jury service, 6-7 p.m. Gonzales Auditorium, Liberal Arts Building.

March 27: Feminism in the Deep South. Faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students in History will share their research that explores the struggles for and against diversity, equity, and inclusion, Liberal Arts Building, room 101, 12:15-1 p.m.

March 28: Alliance for Period Supplies lecture on what period poverty means, how it impacts the lives of women, and what communities can do to support positive change, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at R.C. Cook University Union, room G.

In addition to these events, other activities associated with Women’s History Month at USM include the following:

*Marjorie Spruill Annual Women's History Month Book Drive for Hattiesburg’s Woodley Elementary School

The Committee on Services and Resources for Women is holding its annual Marjorie Spruill Women's History Month Book Drive through the month of March. This year's books will be for the Hattiesburg Public School District’s Woodley Elementary School, and includes books for and about girls and women. Books may be purchased through an Amazon Wishlist. They will be delivered to a member of the CSRW who will deliver the books to the school at the end of the drive. The wishlist can be accessed through the link.

*April 19: A Celebration of Women in the Arts is seeking participants

The Committee on Services and Resources for Women will hold a celebration of women in the arts on April 19 at 4 p.m. in the Theater and Dance Building’s Studio 115. Women writers, poets, musicians, photographers, dancers, potters, sculptors, actors, and other artists who would like to showcase their talents to the USM community are encouraged to participate. For more information on this event, contact Dr. Kate Greene.

For further information on all of these events and activities, including on accessing those presented via Zoom, contact Dr. Candice Salyers, chair of CSRW; or see attached event flyer for access/event details.