Commemorating National Women's History Month in March, the Virginia Tech community will host a variety of informative, educational, and entertaining events and programs that highlight women's diverse experiences and achievements.

Women's Month events are open to all who wish to participate in the celebration and exploration of women’s issues. The slate of month-long activities is designed to address the achievements of women, as well as the challenges women face, and to provide the community with the opportunity to examine the ways in which we think about others and ourselves.

Accomplished women from various sectors, including engineering, international development, the arts, and aeronautics, will speak throughout the month.

Jill S. Tietjen will give a presentation on “Breaking the Mold: Women Scientists and Engineers,” on Thursday, March 1 at 3:30 p.m. in Torgersen Hall, room 2150.

At 5:30 p.m. on March 19, a panel of Virginia Tech alumnae will discuss women in international development at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute Conference Center.

On Monday, March 26, Shannon Walker will discuss her career experiences on the road to her completion of Astronaut Candidate Training at 4 p.m. in the Old Dominion Ballroom of the Squires Student Center.

On Wednesday, March 28 a panel will discuss “Women in Law Enforcement”--specifically the issues facing women when entering into a male-dominated career--at 6 p.m. in Holden Hall, room 110.

Throughout the month-long celebration, a series of special events will focus on feminist issues.

On Wednesday, March 14, Gail Dines will address the sexualized images of idealized women and men in popular culture that shape our sexuality. This event will be held at the Haymarket Theater in the Squires Student Center at 6 p.m.

The annual “Take Back the Night Rally and March” will be held on Thursday March 29 at 6:30 p.m. on the Drillfield; and the Clothesline Project, which features shirts created by survivors of rape and domestic violence, will be on display on the Drillfield from March 27-29.

Concluding the month’s events, the Women’s Studies Program will host Women’s Studies Day, an event showcasing the exciting work of Women’s Studies students, graduate and undergraduate, in a variety of formats and subjects. The event will include an opening reception, poster presentations, a research colloquium, and a performance and post-show discussion of “[classified]: untold stories of virginia tech.”

Other activities taking place throughout the month include a service day each Friday, first at the Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley and then at the Second Harvest Food Bank. A concert featuring music written by women composers from the last thirty years will be performed by Virginia Tech music department faculty, students, and guest musicians on Wednesday, March 21 at 8 p.m. in the Squires Recital Salon. And, a symposium supporting the development of Phoebe’s Field--a traveling exhibition directed at getting middle school girls involved with science, and designed by a team of Virginia Tech students and faculty in design, science, engineering, and education--will be held March 26 and 27.

Women's Month is a non-profit community project funded by Virginia Tech, area organizations, student groups, local businesses, and citizen contributions. It involves the combined effort of students, faculty, staff, and administrators at Virginia Tech, as well as activists, residents, and civic leaders in the surrounding communities. Women's Month is an annual event occurring in March, National Women's History Month.

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