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Women's Month 2024 Calendar of Programs and Events

Leading up to Women's Month

PROGRAM
Drop-In Hours at the Women's Center

Tuesday, February 27
2:00-4:00 p.m.
Women's Center Lower-Level (206 Washington Street)
Sponsored by Women's Center
Contact: Anna LoMascolo
Primary audience: designed for undergraduate and graduate students; open to everyone
The Women's Center is YOUR Center, so join us every Tuesday for Drop-In Hours. Need to get some reading done? Need to study? Want to get some writing done? Just need a change of scenery? Join us! This spring 2024, we have fun activities to engage in all semester long. You can join us for activities, or just enjoy the space on your own. We will have snacks and drinks and LOTS of things to do. We hope all members of the VT community will feel welcome in our space. This week, drop-in and doodle the Hokie Bird. Steven White from VT Communications and Marketing (aka The VT Doodler) will walk through his sketching practice and talk about making a healthy activity out of sketching/journaling. The first 10 participants who show up will receive a pocket sketchbook to take with you to use in your own sketching practice.

SPEAKER
Canine Power: The Extraordinary Life of Rudolphina Menzel

Tuesday, February 27
5:00 p.m.
101S Newman Classroom
Sponsored by the Malcolm and Diane Rosenberg Program in Judaic Studies in the Department of Religion and Culture; Women's Center
Contact: Jessie Meltsner
Primary audience: Everyone
Rudolphina Menzel, a Jewish scientist from Vienna, pioneered research on canine psychology, development, and behavior that fundamentally shaped the ways dogs came to be trained and understood. After emigrating to Palestine in 1938, she established the canine infrastructure of what became the state of Israel. Her unique story illustrates the complicated modern histories of women in science, human interaction with canines, and Jewish history in Europe and the Middle East. This talk will chronicle Menzel’s life and career, exploring her seminal role in the development of cynology (the scientific study of domestic dogs) in the contexts of modern social and cultural history. Dr. Susan Kahn, associate director at The Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law at Harvard Law School, will discuss how and why Menzel transformed her love of dogs into a serious professional undertaking that enabled her to investigate scientific questions and address societal problems. Many of her discoveries about canine behavior continue to influence the field today.

All Month Long Programs & Events

FASHION EXIBITION
Hats Off To Women

All month long
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Exhibit will be located in windows of the visual merchandising lab (Wallace 100)
Sponsored by Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management
Contact: Dina Smith-Glaviana
Primary audience: Everyone
This exhibition features women’s hats dating between the 1940s and 1970s. Because a hat was an important part of women's outfits during the mid-20th century, some hats are shown alongside examples of fashionable 1950s and 1960s day dresses and suits with which they would have been worn, along with complementary or matching gloves and shoes.

EXHIBITION
HERstory, Science edition

All month long
Newman Library, 4th floor (next to Torgersen Bridge)
Sponsored by Department of Biological Sciences and University Libraries
Contact: Silke Hauf
Primary audience: Undergraduate Students
Learn about ten trailblazing women scientists, doctors, and engineers, picked by Virginia Tech freshman students. We hope you’ll be inspired by the passion of these amazing women, impressed by their work, and encouraged by their perseverance. 

EXHIBITION
Women of Appalachia: Food, Drink and Community in the Twentieth Century

All month long
Special Collections & University Archives Gallery, Newman Library 4th floor (near Torgersen Bridge)
Sponsored by Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries
Contact: Kira Dietz
Primary audience: Everyone
This exhibit will feature books, manuscripts, photographs, and artifacts from our collections that highlight contributions by and about women in Appalachia. Materials will showcase the history of food, drink, and community-building in its many forms, from mobile libraries to agricultural practices to kitchen items. Join us on the 4th floor of Newman Library during open hours to learn more about this amazing history through our collections!

DONATION DRIVE
Period Products

All month long
Drop off locations: Schiffert Health Center, McComas, Squires, GLC, LWV, VCOMM, Kroger, Blacksburg Public Library  
Sponsored by VT Engage; Graduate School; Women's Center; Period@VT; Society of Women Engineers
Contact: Anna LoMascolo
Primary audience: Everyone
In the spirit of Ut Prosim, Virginia Tech departments, offices, and student organizations are coming together to collect period products in support of all who menstruate. A period products packing party is scheduled for Wednesday, April 3 at 5:30 p.m., and care packages will be shared Donations shared with various communities at VT and in the New River Valley. Register for the April 3 packing party.

Week of March 3: Spring Break

SPEAKER
The Romantic Roots of Gender in the Anthropocene with Susan Stryker

March 4
3:10-4:25 p.m.
Via Zoom
Sponsored by Queens College LGBTQIAA+ Programs, Women's and Gender Studies; English; Comparative Literature; History; Media Studies; Special Collections and Archives; Graduate School of Library & Information Studies
Register for the webinar
Primary audience: Everyone
Our colleagues at Queens College have invited us to join them for the Palmer Keynote for Women's History Month. Trans historian and cultural theorist Susan Stryker shares new research on the origins of the "gender" concept to argue that, then as now, "gender" provides a framework for thinking not just about masculinity and femininity, but a broader set of concerns about sense of self, the experience of embodiment, relations with others and environments, and metaphysical beliefs about the nature of reality. 

ATHLETICS
ACC Women's Basketball Tournament

March 6 through March 10
Greensboro Coliseum
Greensboro, NC
Primary audience: Everyone
Let's cheer on Virginia Tech Hokies Women's Basketball as they head to Greensboro for the ACC tournament!

CELEBRATION
Wear Purple for International Women's Day

March 8
Riverside R1 Suite 208 or R2 M108
Sponsored by Roanoke VT Women Connect
Primary audience: Everyone
Show your support on International Women's Day.  Stop by a designated location to pck up an exclusive button created by Roanoke VT Women Connect, symbolizing solidarity and celebration.

Week of March 10

SPEAKER
Running the Country: A Transformational Journey through the Intersectional Experiences of a Black Woman Running, 13.1 Miles at a Time

Monday, March 11
3:00 p.m.
Goodall Room, Newman Library
Sponsored by Women's Center
Contact: Anna LoMascolo
Dr. Tiffany Gayle Chenault’s identity as a runner developed as she worked to cope with the loss her mother. The more she grieved, the more she ran. The more she ran, the more she was able to reclaim and reframe the narrative of the strong Black woman. Her 50 states running journey and exploration of the country from 2015-2023 intersects with history, family, politics and social events across the country. As a sociologist, she is interested in how larger social structures shape the lived experiences of individuals, and how those experiences are influenced by systems of power, especially around race, gender, class, and sexuality. Join us as Dr. Chenault takes us on a cross-country exploration, one half-marathon at a time. Light refreshments available.

Dr. Chenault will lead a low-key "fun" run, jog, walk and roll on Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. Refreshments will be available before and after.

COMMEMORATION
Principles of Community Week

March 12-16
The Virginia Tech Principles of Community is an aspirational statement that speaks to what we want to be as an institution. At its core is the belief that Virginia Tech is a community built on respect for all people and each of its members share in the responsibility for upholding its values. Every March during the week following spring break the Office for Inclusion and Diversity organizes Principles of Community Week to commemorate and reaffirm our commitments. View the Principles of Community page.

WORKSHOP (Session #1)
The Menopause Series-Hold On: Things Are About to Get Strange

Tuesday, March 12 (additional session dates: 3/14, 3/19, 3/21, 3/26, 3/28, 4/2, 4/4)
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Register for each session you want to attend
Sponsored by Hokie Wellness
Contact: Ana Agud
Primary audience: Staff, Graduate Students, Faculty

The Menopause Series is an open, frank and educational discussion that will cover the experiences of perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. A variety of topics will be covered including, but not limited to: what to expect in each stage, symptoms, health and mental health, and available treatments. Please register for each session that you would like to attend. Each week is a different topic, and when you register you are registering to attend both the Tuesday and Thursday class in that week.  

RECREATION
Run, Jog, Walk and Roll on the Huckleberry with Tiffany from Black Girls Run **

Tuesday, March 12
12:00 p.m.
Meet in the Women's Center Parking Lot (206 Washington Street)
Sponsored by Women's Center
Contact: Anna LoMascolo
Primary audience: Any and all who wish to participate
Join Dr. Tiffany Gayle Chenault -- Hokie alum, professor, activist, scholar, half-marathoner, traveler, sociologist, and Black Girls Run ambassador -- for a low-key "Fun" Run, Jog, Walk and Roll on the Huckleberry Trail. Dr. Chenault will lead runners and the rest of us can follow at our own pace. Snacks and drinks will be available before and after.

** NOTE: If there is rain, snow, or ice, this event will be canceled.

PROGRAM
Drop-In Hours at the Women's Center

Tuesday, March 12
2:00-4:00 p.m.
Women's Center Lower-Level (206 Washington Street)
Sponsored by Women's Center
Contact: Anna LoMascolo
Primary audience: designed for undergraduate and graduate students; open to everyone
The Women's Center is YOUR Center, so join us every Tuesday for Drop-In Hours. Need to get some reading done? Need to study? Want to get some writing done? Just need a change of scenery? Join us! This spring 2024, we have fun activities to engage in all semester long. You can join us for activities, or just enjoy the space on your own. We will have snacks and drinks and LOTS of things to do. We hope all members of the VT community will feel welcome in our space. This week, drop-in and learn basic mindfulness techniques to manage your stress and anxiety this semester!  Assorted hot teas will be available, as well as materials about mindfulness will be on-hand for you to take with you.

LECTURE
Call My Name with Rhondda R. Thomas

Tuesday, March 12
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Room 5313, Gilbert Place
Sponsored by Outreach and International Affairs
Contact: Susan Short
Primary audience: Everyone
Rhondda R. Thomas, Calhoun Lemon Professor of Literature at Clemson University, founded Call My Name, a research project dedicated to telling the stories of Black men, women, and children whose lives and experiences have been largely overlooked in Clemson’s public history.

PANEL DISCUSSION
First-Generation Student Success Talk-O Tuesday: First-Gen Women

Tuesday, March 12
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Goodall Room, Newman Library
Sponsored by First-Generation Student Success
Contact: Page Fetter
Primary audience: First-Generation students, faculty, staff and allies
First-generation students have a full list of academic, personal, and professional achievements when they arrive to Virginia Tech and we are grateful that they brought their talent to our institution! Talk-Opportunity Tuesdays (Talk-O Tuesdays) is a time to connect our experiences and intellect in a space where first-gen is the most important element. Each month we will enjoy a meal, meet other first-gen students, faculty, alumni, and employers. This meeting will highlight a panel of First-Gen women at Virginia Tech to join in conversation to celebrate Women's History Month.

SUPPORT GROUP
Ebony Women of Empowerment

Wednesday, March 13
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Black Cultural Center
Sponsored by Cook Counseling Center, Student African American Sisterhood, Women's Center, Black Girl Magic, SOAR, Black Cultural Center, Ujima
Contact: Muriel Vinson and Regina Ray
Looking for a community that allows for authenticity, empathy and relevant problem-solving specific to your experience? This is support group for Black women is for you!

TED-TALK STYLE
She Talks: Stories from Women in STEM

Wednesday, March 13
6:00-7:00 p.m.
The Maroon Door, 418 North Main Street, Blacksburg
Register here
Sponsored by Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics (BEAM)
Primary audience: All Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni
Contact: Michelle C. Darby
We’ve crafted an event to showcase the depth of experience, variety of background, and strength of the women in the Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics department. Highlighting women in STEM, from our faculty, students, and alumni, through a series of “Ted Talk” style (we’re calling them “She Talks”) stories that promote, advance, and celebrate women at Virginia Tech and beyond. Please join us for an evening of inspiration, reflection, and real-life experiences from the Women of BEAM. 

FILM
Sapphic Cinema presents Bottoms (2023)

Wednesday, March 13
7:00 p.m.
Haymarket Theatre, Squires Student Center
Sponsored by Pride Center
Contact: Haleigh Wallace
Primary audience: Everyone
Join the Pride Center during Women's History Month for a free Sapphic Cinema showing of Bottoms (2023). Bottoms is a 2023 American satirical teen comedy film directed by Emma Seligman, who co-wrote it with Rachel Sennott. The film stars Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, Miles Fowler, Dagmara Domińczyk, and Marshawn Lynch. Its plot follows two high school senior girls who set up a fight club as a way to hook up with cheerleaders. Bottoms premiered at South by Southwest on March 11, 2023, and was released in the United States on August 25, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. The film received positive reviews from critics. If you are an individual with a disability and desire accommodation, welcome! Please contact Dr. Bing at drbing@vt.edu at least 5 business days prior to the event.

SPEAKER
"All About the Voice": A Zoom Conversation with Meshell Ndegeocello

Wednesday, March 13
7:00 p.m.
Online/Zoom
Register for Meshell Ndegeocello "All About the Voice"
Sponsored by Moss Arts Center
Contact: Ellery Huffman
Primary audience: Everyone
Join Shirlette Ammons for this Zoom-based conversation with Grammy-winning musician Meshell Ndegeocello ahead of her performance at the Moss, the last of Ammons’ curated performances.

SPEAKER
Women Who Advocate: Mindful Strategies for Avoiding Burnout

Thursday, March 14
12:00 p.m.
Registration requested
Virginia Tech Roanoke Center, 108 N. Jefferson Street, Room 709
Sponsored by Virginia Tech Roanoke Center and Sweet Rain Healing
Contact: Erin Doherty
Primary audience: Everyone
If you are an advocate striving for diversity and inclusion in your workplace or community, you may sometimes feel drained, overwhelmed, or disheartened. Many tireless supporters find themselves on the brink of burnout. This is why the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center is hosting an inspiring workshop to help replenish your mind body, and spirit for the challenges ahead. “Women Who Advocate: Mindful Strategies for Avoiding Burnout” will be by Virginia Tech alum Dawnbee Kim-Fair, owner of Sweet Rain Healing. This session will equip you with practical, effective, and sustainable strategies to prevent and combat advocate burnout. Special focus will be on assessing the needs of the heart, body, and mind; meditations, breathwork, and yogic techniques, “Self-Care” without overspending; noticing the signs of burnout; fostering supportive environments; and more. This will be a bring-your-own lunch event, and light refreshments will be provided. Also, a small portion of the event will involve need for the use of a yoga mat. Please bring your own; there is a limited number that we can lend for the event.

PROGRAM
Dessert & Discussions

Thursday, March 14
1:00 p.m.
The event will be held in 3 simultaneous locations: East/West Falls Church Room at the Arlington Campus; T-4 at the Northern Virginia Center (Falls Church); and Innovation Campus Headquarters
Sponsored by DC VT Women Connect
Contact: Barbara Hoopes and Chontrese Hayes
Primary audience: Everyone
Forge connections and network with women across the Greater Washington, D.C. Area. A Zoom option will be available for anyone unable to attend in person. More information and a registration link coming soon.

WORKSHOP (Session #2)
The Menopause Series-Hold On: Things Are About to Get Strange

Thursday, March 14 (additional session dates: 3/19, 3/21, 3/26, 3/28, 4/2, 4/4)
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Register for each session you want to attend
Sponsored by Hokie Wellness
Contact: Ana Agud
Primary audience: Staff, Graduate Students, Faculty
The Menopause Series is an open, frank and educational discussion that will cover the experiences of perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. A variety of topics will be covered including, but not limited to: what to expect in each stage, symptoms, health and mental health, and available treatments. Please register for each session that you would like to attend. Each week is a different topic, and when you register you are registering to attend both the Tuesday and Thursday class in that week.  

SPEAKER & DISCUSSION
Women and Gender in International Development Discussion Series featuring Dr. Neeti Aryal Khanal

Thursday, March 14
12:30 p.m.
Registration required
Hybrid: Newman Library Goodall Room (formerly called Multipurpose Room) or Via Zoom
Sponsored by Women and Gender in International Development at the Center for International Research, Education, and Development (CIRED); Women's and Gender Studies; Department of English; CLAHS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Contact: Shriya Sathaye
Primary audience: Everyone
Join us for a special Women’s Month 2024 edition of the WGID Discussion Series featuring Dr. Neeti Aryal Khanal speaking on “Intersections of Vulnerabilities: Multiple Marginalized Experiences of Women with Disabilities in Nepal.”  Our speaker is an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology and Gender Studies at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. Registration is required. The discussion series is an InclusiveVT initiative of Outreach and International Affairs. 

PERFORMANCE
Meshell Ndegeocello

Friday, March 15
7:30 p.m.
Moss Arts Center
Meshell Ndegeocello artist and ticketing information
Sponsored by Moss Arts Center
Contact: Ellery Huffman
Primary audience: Everyone
Traversing soul, R&B, jazz, hip-hop, and rock, Grammy winner Meshell Ndegeocello’s work is bound by the search for love, justice, respect, and resolution. The multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter has defied and redefined the expectations for women, queer artists, and Black music for over 30 years, and she remains one of few women who write the music, sing the songs, and – bass in hand – lead the band.

WORKSHOP
Empowering Voices with the Embassy of Switzerland

Saturday, March 16
10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Newman Library
Sponsored by the Embassy of Switzerland in partnership with the Department of Political Science; College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences; the Center for European and Transatlantic Studies; Women's Center. The workshop is facilitated by the nonprofit organization Running Start.
Register required for the seminar
Register for the workshop
Contact: Clara Büchi
Primary audience: Virginia Tech students
Join us for a workshop day on civic engagement and women in politics. On Saturday from 10:00-11:00 a.m. (Newman Library 101S), join us for a seminar on Challenges in Achieving Gender Parity in Politics in Switzerland and the U.S. The seminar is open to the public. Register for the seminar.  From 12:00-2:00 p.m. (Newman Library 207A), join us for the civic engagement workshop Turning Passion into Leadership. Workshop participation is reserved for all women students and participants will receive a certification. Register for the workshop. For those who participate in the seminar and/or the workshop, join us from 2:00-3:00 p.m. (Newman Library 101S), join us for speed networking with students and women leaders from the public and private sectors. 

FILM & DISCUSSION
Reproductive Justice

Saturday, March 16
3:00 p.m.
Blacksburg Public Library, 200 Miller Street, Blacksburg
Sponsored by Our Bodies Our Choice
Contact: Suchitra Samanta
Primary audience: Everyone
We will gather to watch the PBS Frontline documentary film, "The Abortion Divide" together and then discuss important controversies and issues related to reproductive healthcare.

Week of March 17

FAIR
Women's Wellness

Sunday, March 17
2:00 p.m.
Y Center, 1000 North Main Street, Blacksburg
Sponsored by YMCA at Virginia Tech
Contact: Dina Ali
Primary audience: Community
This is a free public event to raise awareness for women about wellness, including physical health and emotional wellbeing. Learn about resources available in our area with short presentations and information tables.

PRESENTATION
Embodied Study for Collective Liberation

Monday, March 18
5:30 p.m.
1760 Litton Reeves
Sponsored by Women's and Gender Studies Program
Contact: Catalina Hernandez-Cabal
Primary audience: Everyone
Dr. Miyuki Baker (they/them) is an artist, scholar, and cultural organizer based in Oakland, California. Founder of the School for Beautiful Scholarship, and co-Conspirator at The Church of Black Feminist Thought, and visual theory mapping artist, they will present their praxis -- an innovative arts-based feminist and queer of color approach to theorization, organizing, and feminist world-making. This Zoom talk is part of the WGS Capstone seminar, "Feminist World Making". The instructor and speaker have invited us to attend and engage.

WORKSHOP (Session #3)
The Menopause Series-Hold On: Things Are About to Get Strange

Tuesday, March 19 (additional dates: 3/21, 3/26, 3/28, 4/2, 4/4)
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Register for each session you want to attend
Sponsored by Hokie Wellness
Contact: Ana Agud
Primary audience: Staff, Graduate Students, Faculty
The Menopause Series is an open, frank and educational discussion that will cover the experiences of perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. A variety of topics will be covered including, but not limited to: what to expect in each stage, symptoms, health and mental health, and available treatments. Please register for each session that you would like to attend. Each week is a different topic, and when you register you are registering to attend both the Tuesday and Thursday class in that week.  

PROGRAM
Drop-In Hours at the Women's Center

Tuesday, March 19
2:00-4:00 p.m.
Women's Center Lower-Level (206 Washington Street)
Sponsored by Women's Center
Contact: Anna LoMascolo
Primary audience: designed for undergraduate and graduate students; open to everyone
The Women's Center is YOUR Center, so join us every Tuesday for Drop-In Hours. Need to get some reading done? Need to study? Want to get some writing done? Just need a change of scenery? Join us! This spring 2024, we have fun activities to engage in all semester long. You can join us for activities, or just enjoy the space on your own. We will have snacks and drinks and LOTS of things to do. We hope all members of the VT community will feel welcome in our space. This week, drop-in and visit with Ringo the Patrol Pony, the 7-year-old, 270 pound pony on patrol! Ringo is all about positive interactions and relationship-building with VT students! We will also be getting ready for Pride Week with pronoun button-making supplies, using our templates or create your own!  Rainbow-themed snacks will be on hand.

SPEAKER
Beyond Survival: Learning to Thrive as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and First-Gen Students with Yvette DeChavez

Tuesday, March 19
5:00 p.m.
Classroom Building 207
Sponsored by Religion & Culture; El Centro; Pride Center; First Gen Experience; Women's Center
Contact: Dominique E. Polanco
Primary audience: Everyone
Join us for a lecture tailored to first-generation, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA students as we explore the unique challenges we face in higher education. We will delve into the complexities of navigating college environments constructed upon colonial legacies that often excluse and marginalize certain identities. Through candid discussions and practical strategies, learn how to transcend mere survival within these institutions. Gain valuable insights on building resilience, accessing support networks, and fostering a sense of belonging in spaces not originally designed for individuals like us. Together, we will work towards carving out our own success stories and creating inclusive communities within academia.

LUNCH (by invitation only)
Women of Pamplin Lunch Gathering

Wednesday, March 20
11:30 a.m.
The Inn at Virginia Tech
Sponsored by Pamplin College of Business Office for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)
Contact: A'me Dalton
Primary audience: Pamplin Faculty and Staff
The Women of Pamplin Luncheon is an annual celebration, every March, in honor of Women’s History Month. Both Blacksburg and Falls Church campuses celebrate amongst Pamplin’s faculty and staff. It is an opportunity to come together to build community, share stories, and raise awareness of the diversity of women’s lived experiences and the work that has been and still remains to be done. In honor of all the women of Pamplin who self-identify, we see you, we hear you, YOU MATTER!

PANEL DISCUSSION
Feminist Disruptions in Music, Marriage and the Marketplace

Wednesday, March 20
12:00 p.m.
209 Norris Hall and via Zoom
Sponsored by Women's and Gender Studies; Pride Center
Contact: Bonnie Zare
Primary audience: Everyone
Come hear recent work by graduate students specializing in Women’s and Gender Studies. Tamar Ballard (Sociology) uses queer and feminist theory to explore how Black women in the 90s US punk rock scene claimed space for themselves and other women and queer folks of color within the broader riot grrrl feminist punk movement. Shivangi Gupta (Human Development) shares her interview-based work illuminating the negotiation of spouses. Specifically, she will analyze how omen in India whose husbands are incarcerated renegotiate their marriage. Casey Anne (ASPECT) explores what it means to bring your whole self to the marketplace or job domain, and her work underlines how crucial this is for minoritzed and marginalized individuals in a graduate program or in a university faculty position. Each Scholar will share their work for about 12 minutes, and then WGS's Bonnie Zare will facilitate an informal Q&A. We welcome your support and participation.

SPEAKER
Balancing Parenthood and Career Challenges for Women in STEM and Higher Education: A Presentation of Dissertation Research

Wednesday, March 20
1:00 p.m.
Room M106, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke
Sponsored by Roanoke VT Women Connect; Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Contact: Alexandria Pilot Chambers
Primary audience: Staff, Faculty, and Students
This research gives voice to the lived experiences of women in STEM with terminal degrees and how their education attainment has affected their reproductive choices. By describing their beliefs, experiences, and choices, key themes emerged, including balancing career and motherhood, marital status and finances, and how these affect parenthood and reproductive choices. Because the population of highly educated women is quickly growing in the United States, reproductive choices of these women will likely have a profound impact on the overall population in the future. A better understanding of the specific needs of women with terminal degrees who are balancing careers and motherhood may also contribute to a better understanding of how higher education attainment influences financial security, as well as this population’s access to and use of family planning methods and reproductive health and choices.

SPEAKER
Beverly Acha Artist Talk

Thursday, March 21
11:00 a.m.
Community Assembly, Creativity and Innovation District (CID), 185 Kent Street
Sponsored by Diverse Voices and Perspectives Lecture Series, AAD Instructional Innovation Grant, and Women's Month at Virginia Tech
Contact: Amanda Lechner
Primary audience: Faculty, Students and Staff
Beverly Acha (b. 1987) is a first-generation Latina born in Miami, Florida. Acha makes paintings, drawings, and prints. Rooted in observation, her work captures the intangible sensorial and psychological experience of space through color and repetition. Often working in series, Acha’s paintings build a distinct visual language and logic in response to the environment in which they are made. Referencing architecture, diagrams, and landscape, her core concern is the perceptual slippage within these systems, the spaces between knowing and seeing, experience and memory, and the real and the imagined. More information about painter Beverly Acha.

PANEL DISCUSSION
EmpowerHERing Perspectives: Exploring Different Career Paths in Chemical Engineering

Thursday, March 21
11:30 a.m.
2nd floor of Goodwin (near the administrative offices and monitors)
Sponsored by Women and Gender Minorities in Chemical Engineering
Contact: Hannah Kandil
Primary audience: Undergraduate students
Join us for an insightful panel in celebration of Women’s Month, featuring Dr. Padma Rajagopalan, Dr. Sheima Kahtib, Dr. Abby Whittington, and Dr. Julie Ross! We hope to share insights into overcoming challenges, promoting diversity, and fostering inclusion in STEM. Come by the second floor of Goodwin for coffee and snacks, explore diverse career and engineering paths, gain valuable insights, and engage with these accomplished professionals as they share their experiences and perspectives. Open to all, we want to cultivate awareness and appreciation for the diverse voices sharing the future of Chemical Engineering.

SPEAKER
Designing for Sex and Gender Equity Book Launch

Thursday, March 21
12:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Sponsored by Industrial Design Department / School of Design
Zoom registration link
Contact: Isabel Prochner
Primary audience: Everyone
This talk will summarize a major research and writing project that culminated in the book Designing for Sex and Gender Equity, published in the Routledge Design Research for Change series in December 2023. The book was written by Virginia Tech professor, Isabel Prochner. Drawing on dozens of original designer interviews, this project explored how design interventions can and do support sex, gender, and intersectional equity and what barriers stand in the way. The project included case studies on a wide range of topics: personal protective equipment, toy design, design interventions for mental health, design and sexuality, modest sportswear, virtual assistants, design and beauty, and design between and beyond the binaries. This Women’s Month 2024 talk will bring attention to sex, gender, and intersectional issues related to design artifacts and provide examples of creative design responses to these issues based on the work of contemporary designers practicing in the case study areas.

WORKSHOP (Session #4)
The Menopause Series-Hold On: Things Are About to Get Strange

Thursday, March 21 (additional dates: 3/26, 3/28, 4/2, 4/4)
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Register for each session you want to attend
Sponsored by Hokie Wellness
Contact: Ana Agud
Primary audience: Staff, Graduate Students, Faculty
The Menopause Series is an open, frank and educational discussion that will cover the experiences of perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. A variety of topics will be covered including, but not limited to: what to expect in each stage, symptoms, health and mental health, and available treatments. Please register for each session that you would like to attend. Each week is a different topic, and when you register you are registering to attend both the Tuesday and Thursday class in that week.  

PANEL DISCUSSION
Health & Safety Abroad Lunch-and-Learn on Field Work, Research, and Studies Abroad

Thursday, March 21
12:30 p.m.
Goodall Room, Newman Library
Sponsored by Global Education Office
Register for the panel discussion
Contact: Allie Oberoi
Primary audience: Everyone
Regardless of where your research or studies take you, be it a city or remote wildlife preserve, being a minority in your space can introduce different hazards and risks to navigate. With some planning, preparation, and know-how, you will be better prepared to avoid negative incidents, be more successful in your work, and know what to do if something goes wrong. Join this panel of experienced scholars as we talk about their experiences as women in research and best practices for working abroad. Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees, so please make sure to register! Panelists include: Dr. Jessica Agnew, Associate Director, CALS Global; Dr. Sweta Baniya, Assistant Professor of English; Dr. Lillian Frost, Assistant Professor of Political Science; Dr. D. Sarah Stamps, Associate Professor of Geophysics; and Victoria (Paige) Van de Vuurst, Ph.D. candidate in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health.

SPEAKER
International Archive of Women in Architecture Symposium Keynote

Thursday, March 21
2:00 p.m.
100 Hancock Hall
Sponsored by International Archive of Women in Architecture, School of Architecture
Contact: Sharone Tomer
Primary audience: Everyone
The International Archive of Women in Architecture Center hosts the 2024 Symposium keynote presentation and award of the 2024 Kristine Fallon Prize. The Kristine Fallon Prize celebrates scholarship that researches women practicing at large architecture firm in the twentieth century. The winner and keynote presenter is Rebecca Edmunds, who will be speaking about her research on Allison G. Williams. Williams is one of the U.S.’s early black women architects, who worked at several large firms, including SOM and Perkins & Will, before starting her own firm. Edmunds story about Wiliams’ work weaves together histories of large projects that evolved and changed in the face of economic recessions, abrupt career changes, and political storms.

INFORMAL DINNER PROGRAM
College of Science Night at the Women's Center

Thursday, March 21
5:30 p.m.
Women's Center Lower-Level, 206 Washington Street
Sponsored by College of Science
Contact: Jess Hoopengardner
Primary audience: Undergraduate and Graduate Students in the College of Science
Join other female science students for dinner and to be in community! This informal dinner is one of the Women’s Month events that the College of Science is hosting.

PROGRAM
Why We Don't Need to be Tech Experts to Stay Safe in the Digital Age

Thursday, March 21
7:00-9:00 p.m.
Graduate Life Center Auditorium (155 Otey Street, Blacksburg)
Registration is required to attend via Zoom
Sponsored by Virginia Tech Student Affairs; Hokie Wellness; Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative
Contact: Hokie Wellness
Online abuse and safety is on the top of everyone's mind especially with how much time we (and those we care about) are online and on our devices. Join us for a discussion with Adam Dodge, founder of Endtab, to learn more about how to prevent and mitigate the harm of AI deep fakes, leaked photos, digital harassment/stalking, and more. This event is free and open to the public. There will be closed captioning available. Registration is only required if you wish to attend the event virtually. If you are someone needing an accommodation please reach out Hokie Wellness at hokiewellnesssvp@vt.edu.

PRESENTATION
Gender Equity Transitions: From Awareness to Action to ACTION

Friday, March 22
1:30 p.m.
Inn at Virginia Tech
Sponsored by Diverse Voices in Mathematics series in the Department of Mathematics; College of Science; Association for Women in Mathematics; Pride Center
Contact: Gretchen Matthews
Primary audience: Undergraduate and Graduate Students; Faculty
Gender inequity is a pervasive issue in mathematics and other fields. Explicit and implicit bias and harassment are ongoing causes of trauma against people who are not cis white men. In addition to causing harm to individual human beings, these result in significant issues of recruitment, retention, and promotion of people who love mathematics and want to be a part of the scientific enterprise. In this presentation I will discuss some projects I’ve been part of working to overturn these barriers for women and people who are trans, nonbinary, and/or intersex. The speaker, Dr. Keri Ann Sather-Wagstaff is a commutative algebraist currently at the National Science Foundation where she serves as Acting Lead Program Director for ADVANCE: Organizational Change for Gender Equity in STEM Academic Professions and AGEP: Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, on leave from her position as Professor of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at Clemson University. She is a Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics and Board Member and Political Committee Chair for Spectra, the Association of LBGQT+ Mathematicians. She is a co-author of the invited article "On Best Practices for the Recruitment, Retention, and Flourishing of LGBTQ+ Mathematicians" which appeared recently in the Notices of the American Mathematical Society, in addition to more than 75 papers in the combinatorial and homological aspects of commutative algebra.

PRESENTATION
Diversifying Entomology and Natural History Museums

Friday, March 22
2:00-4:30 p.m. (presentation, Q&A, and reception)
1015 Life Science Circle and via Zoom
Sponsored by Department of Entomology, CALS
Contact: Margaret Couvillon
Primary audience: Everyone
All are welcome to join a conversation with Dr. Jessica Ware, associate curator of invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History and co-founder of Entomologists of Color #ENTOPOC, talks about diversity and access in STEM.

Week of March 24 and beyond

WORKSHOP
Clothesline Project

Monday, March 25 through Friday, March 29
9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Women's Center Lower-Level, 206 Washington Street
Sponsored by Montgomery County NOW, Women's Center, Women's Resource Center of the New River Valley
Contact: Susan Anderson
Primary audience: Everyone
The Clothesline Project, an effort to raise awareness of gender-based and sexual violence, is a visual testimony to the shattering effect of violence and the impact it has on society. Survivors of violence – and friends and families of victims – create shirts emblazoned with direct messages and strong illustrations. The shirts demonstrate the pain and suffering of the survivors, aid in their healing process, and celebrate their strength and courage to overcome the past. The shirts are hung side-by-side on a clothesline, bearing witness to the violence committed on a daily basis. The project encourages survivors to come forward to break the silence by creating shirts to share their stories. All materials are supplied free of charge. Please consider dropping by the Women’s Center to create your own shirt in a quiet, comfortable environment.

PERFORMANCE
Rachel Copeland Skiba, soprano | Blair Salter, piano

Monday, March 25
8:00 p.m.
Squires Recital Salon
Purchase tickets online through Moss Arts Center
$15 general / $12 senior / $10 student (cash or online sales only at the door)
Sponsored by the School of Performing Arts at Virginia Tech

Contact: Susan Sanders
Primary audience: Everyone
Rachel Copeland continues to receive acclaim as a “revelation with her coloratura soprano leaping easily to impossible heights!” She is a sought after artist combining her crystalline voice with her compelling and energetic stage presence. Collaborative pianist Blair Salter is a versatile performer and music director who has worked at prestigious opera companies and young artist programs throughout the United States and Canada. 

WEBINAR
Cancer, Co-Workers, and the Workplace Navigation

Tuesday, March 26
12:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Pre-register for the webinar
Sponsored by "Directions" Career/Life Transitions; Outreach and International Affairs - Women Impact Virginia
Contact: Erin Doherty and Lynda King
Primary audience: Everyone
Over 70% of people diagnosed with cancer are in prime workforce age, and 76% of those diagnosed want or need to continue to work. When a co-worker is diagnosed with cancer or other serious illness, you may both be asking yourselves “How do I navigate this at work?” Deb Squire, a career coach with more than 20 years of experience, will lead the discussion about how cancer and other major illnesses can impact people in the world of work, and how to be supportive when a co-worker faces an illness. Diagnosed with blood cancer, Deb received a Stem Cell Transplant in August 2023. Hear her story and learn ways you can advocate for the ones you work with. Registration required.

WORKSHOP (Session #5)
The Menopause Series-Hold On: Things Are About to Get Strange

Tuesday, March 26 (additional dates: 3/28, 4/2, 4/4)
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Register for each session you want to attend
Sponsored by Hokie Wellness
Contact: Ana Agud
Primary audience: Staff, Graduate Students, Faculty
The Menopause Series is an open, frank and educational discussion that will cover the experiences of perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. A variety of topics will be covered including, but not limited to: what to expect in each stage, symptoms, health and mental health, and available treatments. Please register for each session that you would like to attend. Each week is a different topic, and when you register you are registering to attend both the Tuesday and Thursday class in that week.  

DISPLAY
Clothesline Project

Wednesday, March 27
11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sidewalk in front of 204 Draper Road, Blacksburg
Sponsored by Montgomery County NOW, Women's Center, Women's Resource Center of the New River Valley
Contact: Susan Anderson
Primary audience: Everyone
The Clothesline Project, an effort to raise awareness of gender-based and sexual violence, is a visual testimony to the shattering effect of violence and the impact it has on society. Survivors of violence – and friends and families of victims – create shirts emblazoned with direct messages and strong illustrations. The shirts demonstrate the pain and suffering of the survivors, aid in their healing process, and celebrate their strength and courage to overcome the past. The shirts, hung side by side on a clothesline, are color coded: white for those who have died of violence; yellow or beige for survivors who have been battered or assaulted; red, pink, or orange for those raped or sexually assaulted; blue or green for survivors of incest or child sexual abuse; purple or lavender for survivors attacked because of their sexual orientation; and black for those disabled by violence. The Clothesline Project educates the public about the scope of gender-based and sexual violence and the impact it has on individuals, their families and friends, and the community.

SPEAKER & PANEL DISCUSSION
Sororities of the Divine Nine: Celebration and Elevation

Wednesday, March 27
5:30 p.m.
Gilbert Place Multipurpose Room
Sponsored by Virginia Tech Fraternity and Sorority Life and the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) of Virginia Tech
Contact: Dalayna Gardner
At the start of the 20th century, Black students from mainly Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) had to form their own sororities and fraternities. Collectively, these organizations are known as the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) or the “Divine Nine.” Each has distinctive core values, but still share a common goal of uplifting and educating the Black community. At this event, we will honor the founders of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Furthermore, we will acknowledge the prestigious women demonstrating exceptional leadership in these sororities today and highlight the milestones the sororities are currently achieving. Join us to learn about our organizations and our efforts to empower and elevate Black women in the communities we serve.

SUPPORT GROUP
Ebony Women of Empowerment

Wednesday, March 27
6:00-7:30 p.m.
Black Cultural Center
Sponsored by Cook Counseling Center, Student African American Sisterhood, Women's Center, Black Girl Magic, SOAR, Black Cultural Center, Ujima
Contact: Muriel Vinson and Regina Ray
Looking for a community that allows for authenticity, empathy and relevant problem-solving specific to your experience? This is support group for Black women is for you!

WORKSHOP (Session #6)
The Menopause Series-Hold On: Things Are About to Get Strange

Thursday, March 28 (additional dates: 4/2, 4/4)
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Register for each session you want to attend
Sponsored by Hokie Wellness
Contact: Ana Agud
Primary audience: Staff, Graduate Students, Faculty
The Menopause Series is an open, frank and educational discussion that will cover the experiences of perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. A variety of topics will be covered including, but not limited to: what to expect in each stage, symptoms, health and mental health, and available treatments. Please register for each session that you would like to attend. Each week is a different topic, and when you register you are registering to attend both the Tuesday and Thursday class in that week.  

PANEL DISCUSSION
Science on Tap: The Art, Science, Politics of Breastfeeding

Thursday, March 28
5:30 p.m.
Rising Silo Brewery, 2351 Glade Road, Blacksburg
Sponsored by Center for Communicating Science; VT Chapter of Sigma Xi
Contact: Carrie Kroehler
Primary audience: Everyone
About 140 million babies are born each year, and most of them begin life nourished by human milk. Join us to learn about this essential resource from a panel of breastfeeding experts, including a researcher studying the impact of milk on brain development, a pediatric nurse practitioner, a lactation consultant, and a researcher who studies the social and political forces at play in the world of infant feeding. Panelists are Dr. Jean Duetsch, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and Lactation Consultant; Paige Harrigan, PHD candidate and researcher in Virginia Tech's Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise; Dr. Brittany Howell, Department of Human Development and Family Science, Virginia Tech; and Evalin Trice, Lactation Consultant and La Leche League leader (retired).

KEYNOTE, SESSIONS & NETWORKING
Women's Entrepreneurship Round Table 2024

Friday, March 29
11:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
VTCRC Events Center
Sponsored by Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center; Pamplin DEIB; Pamplin Department of Management; LINK
Contact: Laura Townsend
Primary audience: Everyone
The Women’s Entrepreneurship Round Table Conference is a free, day-long event designed to celebrate and support women in business. This event is open to all women business leaders, entrepreneurs, and male allies who are interested in learning and networking with others who share a passion for developing the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders, discussing wicked problems and the future of work, and collaborating on innovative ideas. The Women’s Entrepreneurship Round Table Conference is an empowering and inspiring event that celebrates the achievements of women in business and provides a supportive environment for them to learn, grow, and succeed. The next day, Saturday, March 30th, The Women’s Summit will take place at the Virginia Tech Inn hosted by the Pamplin College of Business DEIB beginning at 10am. This event will be for Virginia Tech students and community members to participate in free of charge.

WORKSHOP (Session #7)
The Menopause Series-Hold On: Things Are About to Get Strange

Tuesday, April 2 (additional dates: 4/4)
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Register for each session you want to attend
Sponsored by Hokie Wellness
Contact: Ana Agud
Primary audience: Staff, Graduate Students, Faculty
The Menopause Series is an open, frank and educational discussion that will cover the experiences of perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. A variety of topics will be covered including, but not limited to: what to expect in each stage, symptoms, health and mental health, and available treatments. Please register for each session that you would like to attend. Each week is a different topic, and when you register you are registering to attend both the Tuesday and Thursday class in that week.  

PROGRAM
Drop-In Hours at the Women's Center

Tuesday, April 2
2:00-4:00 p.m.
Women's Center Lower-Level (206 Washington Street)
Sponsored by Women's Center
Contact: Anna LoMascolo
Primary audience: designed for undergraduate and graduate students; open to everyone
The Women's Center is YOUR Center, so join us every Tuesday for Drop-In Hours. Need to get some reading done? Need to study? Want to get some writing done? Just need a change of scenery? Join us! This spring 2024, we have fun activities to engage in all semester long. You can join us for activities, or just enjoy the space on your own. We will have snacks and drinks and LOTS of things to do. We hope all members of the VT community will feel welcome in our space. This week, drop-in and learn some basic chair/desk poses and stretches to keep you well during those study marathons!  Assorted hot teas will be available.

RALLY & MARCH
Take Back the Night

Wednesday, April 3
6:00 p.m. Pre-rally music
7:00 p.m. Rally 
Henderson Lawn Outdoor Stage & through campus and downtown Blacksburg
Sponsored by United Feminist Movement
Contact: Lauren Scheerer
This annual rally and march is in protest of gender-based and sexual violence in our local community. All are welcome to gather and march in support of suvivors. Given the impact of sexual violence on people of all backgrounds and identities, this is event is inclusive of all people united for a community free of violence. 

WORKSHOP (Session #8)
The Menopause Series-Hold On: Things Are About to Get Strange

Thursday, April 4
12:15-1:00 p.m.
Via Zoom
Register for each session you want to attend
Sponsored by Hokie Wellness
Contact: Ana Agud
Primary audience: Staff, Graduate Students, Faculty
The Menopause Series is an open, frank and educational discussion that will cover the experiences of perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause. A variety of topics will be covered including, but not limited to: what to expect in each stage, symptoms, health and mental health, and available treatments. Please register for each session that you would like to attend. Each week is a different topic, and when you register you are registering to attend both the Tuesday and Thursday class in that week.  

RECEPTION & CELEBRATION
Women's Month 2024 Closing and Women's Center 30th Anniversary

Thursday, April 4
4:00-6:00 p.m.
Women's Center, 206 Washington Street
Sponsored by Women's Center and the community of Women's Month 2024 program hosts
Contact: Anna LoMascolo
Primary audience: Absolutely everyone
Join us to wrap up the 2024 Women's Month celebration and help us mark the Women's Center's 30th anniversary at Virginia Tech. Save the Date and RSVP details are forthcoming.

PANEL DISCUSSION
Empowering Women in Computer Science

Friday, April 5
10:00-11:30 a.m.
Online here
Sponsored by VT Computer Science Department
Contact: Sally Hamouda
Primary audience: Everyone
Join us for an enlightening symposium focused on empowering women in the field of computer science. Our panel of distinguished speakers will share insights, experiences, and their unique journeys. Don’t miss the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions and foster a supportive community.