Join Kalamazoo Valley Community College for a month-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. KALSEE Credit Union is a presenting sponsor.
Free events are scheduled across the college community and are open to students, faculty, staff and the public. In an effort to continue to be good stewards of resources, advanced registration is required for many of the events.
Events
Sunday, March 8 | 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
“The Right Stuff at the Wrong Time: First Lady Astronaut Trainees”
At the start of the Space Age, 13 female pilots were tested by NASA doctor William Lovelace to see if they had the "right stuff" for space travel. Dr. Nicolle Zellner, professor of physics at Albion College, shares the story of these women, including two from Michigan, who passed (or excelled in) the same tests undertaken by the famous "Mercury 7" astronauts but were denied the opportunity to fly in space.
Seating is limited; please reserve a seat by visiting www.kalamazoomuseum.org.
Tuesday, March 10 | 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Texas Township Campus, Room 4240
Celebrating Kalamazoo Valley Community College Female Employees
Complimentary breakfast provided
Reserve your
seat by March 3
Join your fellow colleagues for a relaxed drop-in breakfast.. President L. Marshall Washington will provide remarks at 8 a.m.
Saturday, March 14 | 1 – 3 p.m.
Anna Whitten Hall
Arcadia Commons Campus
Merze Tate Explorers Presentation
No reservation required
The Merze Tate Explorers will celebrate the success of their first college course while also recognizing African American Women Firsts in Kalamazoo. Women such as Juanita Goodwin, the first African American principal of KPS, Stacey Randolph, the first African American woman supervisor for Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, and many others in local government, medicine, and entertainment will be recognized with a special tribute, "I am a Promise." In addition, a coloring book to recognize these women also will be unveiled with proceeds going toward the Merze Tate Explorers' Scholarship Fund.
For more information, please email contact@merzetate.com.
Saturday, March 14 and Saturday, March 28 | 1 p.m.
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
Fighting for the Vote: Women's Suffrage in America
This 31 minute film covers the history of the struggle for women's suffrage in the United States beginning with the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. It provides a rare look into the relationship between the women's suffrage movement and the anti-slavery movement, as well as the leadership of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. The presentation includes archival film footage and commentary by authors, historians and academics. The film is produced and written by Lisa Clark and Adam Sternberg.
Seating is limited; please reserve a seat by visiting www.kalamazoomuseum.org.
Wednesday, March 18 | 2-4 p.m.
Texas Township Campus, Room 4240
“Are We There Yet? - 100 Years of Imperfect Progress”
Reserve your
seat by March 11
Since gaining the right to vote, women have made remarkable progress in the workplace, in higher education and in politics. However, progress has been uneven and barriers still exist as women attempt to gain equal footing in America. Join us for this inspiring presentation and panel discussion led by Rebecca Durkee, instructor of gender and women's studies (GWS) and sociology at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. She leads the GWS concentration and teaches several classes on gender, including Introduction to Gender and Women's Studies as well as Media and the Sexes. Her research has included gender disparities in higher education and LGBTQ issues.
The panel discussion participants will include local leaders Dr. Grace Lubwama, executive director of the YWCA of Kalamazoo and Dr. Julie Stotz-Ghosh and Skylar Bre’z, faculty members at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
Friday, March 20 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Texas Township Campus, Room 4240
Women’s Leadership Conference
Make a
luncheon reservation by March 13
The Winter 2020 Women's Leadership Conference will include a series of guided conversations centered on understanding personal sacrifices and the best practices required to achieve success.
Facilitators and panelists will share their personal journeys and offer suggestions on how to develop the skill set necessary for academic and personal happiness and balance.
The conference will begin with an introduction to and the opportunity to take the Gallup Strengths Assessment. Attendees will also have time to engage in a discussion about financial literacy, women and mental health, mindful meditation practices/techniques and much more.
For more information, contact Ezra Bell at or call 269.488.4045.
Tuesday, March 24 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Texas Township Campus, Room 4240
Kalamazoo Valley Community College: Celebrating Women Leaders
Reserve your
seat by March 17
Michigan Women Forward (MWF) has a vision where women and girls are empowered to be leaders, inventors, dreamers and doers. Kalamazoo Valley has partnered with MWF to present inspiring messages from Hon. Judge Carolyn H. Williams and Lynn Chen-Zhang, two groundbreaking local women. Both were recently honored as MWF Women of Achievement and Courage Award winners.
Join us for lunch, presentations and a panel discussion.
Exhibit through March 31
Kalamazoo Valley Museum
League of Women Voters: “The First 100 Years”
No reservation required
The Kalamazoo Area League of Women Voters has partnered with the Kalamazoo Valley Museum to celebrate its 100th anniversary through the installation of a special display on the second floor. A timeline traces the history of the suffragist movement and the milestones of the League from 1920 to 2020.
This exhibit describes Kalamazoo’s local efforts to empower voters and defend democracy where every person has the desire, right, knowledge and confidence to participate. Kalamazoo native Dr. Caroline Bartlett Crane features prominently in the exhibit, which includes a model of her 1924 “Everyman’s House.” A vintage dress dating from 1915 also makes its debut and is part of the Museum's historical collection.
A note from the Kalamazoo Valley Community College Libraries:
Who is a woman that inspires you? A suffragist? An engineer? A musician? Your mom? The KVCC Libraries want to know!
Connect with the college Libraries throughout the month of March by exploring our displays on notable women. Visit us at either campus or at the March 10, 18, and 24 events. Learn more about the resources available at the Libraries as we strive to meet the information needs of the entire college community.