By Karolina Dombaxi, Contributing Writer
March is best known for March Madness and the Spring Equinox, but it is also Women’s History Month. It is a month designated for appreciating and acknowledging the accomplishments and struggles women have gone through worldwide.
Here at St. Bonaventure University, Dr. Kimberly DeSimone and Dr. Pauline Hoffman of the Jandoli School of Communication have created an initiative designed to raise awareness for this celebration.
“Several years ago we hosted a panel on campus during March, Women’s History Month, titled ‘Women’s Issues in the Workplace.’ During the question and answer session, a student in the audience commented that she didn’t even know March was Women’s History Month. One of our panelists said, ‘that’s because all you ever hear about in March is March Madness and the NCAA basketball bracket,’” said Hoffmann. “And another student followed with, ‘We should have a women’s history bracket.’ And an idea was born. Since then, we’ve conducted four women’s history brackets and plan to continue.”
This year, March into Women’s History Month is being led by Hoffmann and Jennifer Pulver, the director of graphic design in St. Bonaventure University’s Office of Marketing and Communications.
The two are passionate advocates for women’s issues.
Tom Buttafarro, the director of board, community and government relations, Chris Brown, the executive director of the Student Success Center, and Emanuel Philip, a residence director, as well as three student interns from the Jandoli School of Communication are also involved in the process this year.
Every year there is a special theme. For March into Women’s History Month fifth year, the theme will be women suffragists. The year 2020 marked the 100th year for the 19th amendment in the U.S. which granted women the right to vote. However, due to the pandemic, the acknowledgement had to be delayed.
This year’s brackets will focus on women suffragists and female leaders from around the world who have or currently still lead their country. There are 59 countries that have had female leaders before the U.S. has. Sri Lanka was the first country in 1960 with Sirimavo Bandaranaike being elected the first female prime minister and served three terms.
On March 1, polls will open to the public and the first round of voting will begin at marchforwomenshistory.com. Students, faculty, alumni and others will have the opportunity to vote on 64 suffragists and other female leaders from around the world. The website will include the brackets, bios and polls.
In the Damietta Center, people will be able to come see the brackets, bios of the women and their photos, a map of the countries that have had female leaders and a historical timeline of suffrage. Besides the annual voting there is also a panel in the works to have a space to discuss women’s right to vote.
Working alongside Hoffmann will be Dr. Xiao-Ning Zhang from the biology department. She and other students will work to spread awareness about women leaders who have scientific backgrounds.
dombaxk19@bonaventure.edu
