Professor honored for decades of advocacy work

stuxbury — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 17:52:30 +0000

Professor honored for decades of advocacy work stuxbury Wed, 09/22/2021 - 13:52

Before Marilee Benore was a professor, she was a girls’ basketball coach, a feminist newsletter editor and domestic violence shelter advocate.

These experiences — along with the low female representation she saw while in graduate school and while working as a chemist in a plant — shaped her into the educator she is today.

“I want to ensure that girls are encouraged to enter STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers,” said Biochemistry and Biology Professor Benore, who began getting involved with female support and empowerment work while earning her bachelor’s degree at a Catholic college in Northern Kentucky. “Women had taught most of my math and science all the way through my undergraduate degree — even the chair of the chemistry department was a nun. I was stunned when I arrived at graduate school and discovered most of my peers were men.”

Benore began serving as a scientist role model to young women and girls early in her academic career. It’s one of the reasons she chose to come to ��-Dearborn in 1989. With the smaller class sizes, Benore knew she’d have the opportunity to directly mentor undergraduate students.

“In my journey, I’ve learned that opportunity doesn't exist for everyone. I wanted to ensure that girls and women had access to STEM careers.”

U-M is recognizing Benore’s mentorship and inclusive practices by honoring her with the Carol Hollenshead Inspire Award for Excellence in Promoting Equity and Social Change. The award is named in honor of former Center for the Education of Women (CEW) director Carol Hollenshead, who had a 20-year tenure with the U-M organization.

In addition to Benore, two U-M faculty members, one student-led group and a staff-led group will be acknowledged at the virtual CEW+ Advocacy Symposium on Sept. 28. Activists, advocates and allies can register for the free event.

Benore’s been dedicated to encouraging and supporting women in STEM for decades. For her work, U-M honored Benore with the Sarah Goddard Power Award in 2004; Benore later became active and co-chaired the awards for many years with the U-M Academic Women’s Caucus and in partnership with CEW+.

Highlighting some of Benore’s advocacy work on campus: She organized and ran a Girl Scouts STEM summer camp, advised the ��-Dearborn chapter of Women in Leadership and Learning, team-taught with colleagues in the Women and Gender Studies program, mentored scores of students in her lab, and more.

Now Benore plans to expand upon that and inspire others by sharing their stories of resilience and success.

She’s currently conducting oral histories and surveys worldwide in search of stories that will resonate and provide navigation to those who need a path through challenges. In connection with the CEW+ event, Benore shares more on this new focus in a lightning talk workshop.

“Some people require a roadmap, and some people just need roadside assistance. I wish to share the stories to support women on their journeys to success,” she said. “Over time I’ve realized that I no longer wanted to focus on obstructions but to research the successful traits, experiences, and choices of women in STEM. What made women resilient and successful in spite of obstructions? What motivated them? Humans learn from stories in which they see themselves or the struggles of someone else.”

Benore said life experiences and support she received from her family, educators and others in her formative years helped lead her to where she is today. And she wants to be that support for others in any way she can.

Article by Sarah Tuxbury.

College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters

Natural Sciences

Commission for Women

Off

Wed, 09/22/2021 - 17:49

U-M recognizes Professor Marilee Benore’s mentorship and inclusive practices by honoring her with the Carol Hollenshead Inspire Award for Excellence in Promoting Equity and Social Change.

Commission for Women honors Kay McGowan, Shareia Carter during annual awards ceremony

jmcheat — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 14:43:30 +0000

Commission for Women honors Kay McGowan, Shareia Carter during annual awards ceremony jmcheat Mon, 04/22/2019 - 10:43

��-Dearborn Susan B. Anthony Awards 2019

University of Michigan-Dearborn’s Commission for Women honored Kay McGowan and Shareia Carter during the organization’s annual Susan B. Anthony Awards Dinner on Wednesday, April 3. McGowan is this year’s recipient of the Susan B. Anthony Community Award; and Carter is the recipient of the Susan B. Anthony Campus Award.

“These awards celebrate the people whose lives and deeds exemplify the dedication, fortitude, political agitation and involvement of Susan B. Anthony on behalf of women,” said Commission for Women Chair Eva Gogola. “Both of this year’s honorees raise our communities up and help women and girls be heard, be seen and be successful.”

Institutional Equity Director Pamela Heatlie served as keynote for the awards dinner, speaking on the power of mentorships and encouraging the Commission for Women to create more spaces and opportunities for people to meet and connect.

“Her speech really resonated with the audience,” Gogola said. “Pam talked about a ‘rising tide lifting all boats’ — and the Commission is committed to lifting up women and girls across campus and in our communities.”

Kay McGowan

McGowan is of Mississippi Choctaw and Cherokee heritage, and has taught anthropology and Native American studies at Eastern Michigan University since 1996.

She co-founded First Step, an organization dedicated to ending domestic violence in Downriver communities, in 1981. McGowan has represented the interests of indigenous peoples at the United Nations, the Working Group on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, CERD, and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and testified on water as a human right. She has authored five books and more than 150 articles.

McGowan enjoys traveling, art, sewing, Powwows, and spending time with her identical twin Fay Given, executive director of American Indian Services, with whom she produced a documentary film about the memories of survivors of Indian boarding schools. In 2009, McGowan was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame for her years of activism on behalf of women and native people.

She is a 1982 ��-Dearborn graduate. She also earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in anthropology from Wayne State University.

Shareia Carter

Carter is director of the Women’s Resource Center at ��-Dearborn, where she works collaboratively with internal and external constituents to support women students, faculty and staff. Her previous career at a local nonprofit focused on ending domestic and sexual violence.

She serves on several committees on campus and in the community, including the Early Childhood Education Center board, MI-ACE Women of Color Collaborative and the Wayne County Counsel Against Family Violence. She also is an active member of numerous national organizations dedicated to the advancement of women, including the National Women’s Studies Association, the National Organization for Women and the American Association of University Women.

Carter loves traveling and spending time with her family. Her pride and joy is being a mom to her 10-year-old daughter, Peyton.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Michigan and an M.L.S. from Eastern Michigan University.

Awards

Faculty and Staff

Commission for Women

Off

Mon, 04/22/2019 - 14:41

The Susan B. Anthony Awards recognize individuals who work to enhance the status of women and girls and who promote equal rights for women.