Women's Center Award Honorees
2007 SPOTLIGHT
Advancing Women Award:
Megan Carney is honored for her work bringing together disparate elements of the campus and wider community for probing discussions on issues such as homophobia, racism, and gender discrimination and for sparking open and powerful discourse leading to and resulting from her collaborative theater pieces. Described as “a rare and brilliant artists who knows how to integrate community dialogue and civic participation with stimulating and well-crafted work,” Megan has distinguished herself at all levels of the university and brought issues of women and gender, among others, to the attention of the campus and the surrounding community.
Cathy Fernandez-Weston is honored for her role in the creation and implementation of the My Sister’s Keeper program and the conference of the same name, which was formed to promote networking and professional development opportunities among graduate and faculty women of color, and to enhance scholarship, positive thinking, and academic adjustment within the VT community. Cathy is recognized as a mentor, innovator, and advocate.
Betty Lee is honored for her role in the community as an activist and a tireless advocate for women in need. She has built a bridge from the community to the university by integrating hundreds of students in volunteer work that improves the lives of women and children. Betty has been described as someone who puts “the ‘active’ in ‘activism’” and as an advocate who goes far beyond the call of duty, devoting seven days a week to ensuring that the clients of the Women’s Resource Center and other families affected by violence and homelessness have access to furniture and other items that make a house a home. Betty is recognized for her countless acts of kindness, compassion, and outreach to women and families in need.
Perry Martin is honored for his ability to inspire countless volunteers and students by not only giving of his own time and skills, but by allowing them to do the same, thus allowing them a window into the lives of others. While identifying meaningful service-learning placements is in his job description, working alongside of students doing these projects is not. And yet, every Friday and Saturday, Perry can be found with students in the community doing whatever is needed that day, from painting, to hauling furniture, to gardening. Perry has also developed his own “Hometown Corps”, and created partnerships with the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program, Habitat for Humanity, and Tekoa, where he has created meaningful programs to assist women and girls.
Beate Schmittmann, Professor and Department Head of the Physics Department, is honored for her role in the leadership of AdvanceVT, a federally funded program intended to increase the number and success of women faculty in STEM fields. She is also selected as an Advancing Women Awards recipient for her practice of reaching out to students as well as faculty in the male-dominated field of physics, as well as her tireless work in increasing awareness of unconscious bias in the hiring and promotion process, working with search committees, and developing a brochure that has led to enhancements in the effectiveness of searches and benefits which have reached far beyond the STEM disciplines at Virginia Tech. Beate is proudly recognized for her role as mentor and advisor, role model and advocate.
Norrine Bailey Spencer, currently Associate Provost and Director of Undergraduate Admissions, is honored for her role as the only senior woman in the leadership of a highly male-dominated department and field, where she proved to be an effective advocate for women students and faculty, a sensitive mentor, and a respected colleague. She provides visionary leadership to the Virginia Network, a group whose goal is to promote women's leadership in higher education, and she also makes significant contributions to women in the academic business professional society, where their numbers are small and the challenges great. Norrine has touched the lives of many women on campus, in the community, and throughout the Commonwealth, most of whom will never know how her behind the scenes leadership and advocacy has changed things for the better.
2006
Advancing Women Award:
Mark McNamee, University Provost & VP for Academic Affairs
Carola Haas, Fisheries & Wildlife Science
Amy Nelson, Kathleen Jones, Daniel Thorp, History Department
(in recognition of their special efforts to improve
departmental climate for women)
Tasha Messenger, VT Corp of Cadets
Angela Mendes, Office of International Research, Education
& Development
Heather Switzer, Graduate Student
Jen Butler, Undergraduate Student
Katie Ownby, Undergraduate Student
2005
Advancing Women Award:
Judith Jones, Cooperative Extension
Susanna Rinehart, Theatre Arts
Chelesa Benincasa, Student
Kimberly Williams, Student
Nancy Love, Civil and Environmental Engineering
2004
Woman of the Decade Award:
Pat Hyer
2003
Advancing Women Award:
Heather Switzer
Laury Ward
Ray Plaza
Muriel Lederman
Kristen Benson
2002
Advancing Women Award:
Julie Sherman
Erin Martin
Kelly Hayes
Linda Mitchell
Tom Brown
Peggy Meszaros
Bevlee Watford
2001
Community Woman of the Year:
Judy Casteele
Staff Woman of the Year: Robin Atkins
Faculty Woman of the Year: Elizabeth
Creamer
Student Activists of the Year: Anne
Brinckman, Loretta Ullrich, Kristina Price
2000
Community Woman of the Year:
Tamra Oliver
Staff Woman of the Year: Phyllis
Testerman
Faculty Woman of the Year: Sandra
Birch
Student Activists of the Year: Jill
Porcelli, Megan Meconi, Kathy Templin
1999
Community Woman of the Year:
Julie Grady
Staff Woman of the Year: Lisa Barroso
Faculty Woman of the Year: Martha
McCaughey
Student Activist of the Year: Natalie
Logsdon
1998
Community Woman of the Year:
Constance D. Anderson
Staff Woman of the Year: Teresa
Quesinberry
Faculty Woman of the Year: Lisa
Brone
Student Activist of the Year: Lenette
D. Hillian
Exemplary Activist: Dianna Benton
1997
Woman of the Year:
Ann Kilkelly
Student Activists of the Year: Susan
Shome and Serena Gruian
1996
Woman of the Year: Susan Anderson
1995
Woman of the Year: Patricia B. Hyer