Panelists Discuss Need for Girls’ Education
May 29, 2013
Simmons recently hosted a panel presentation highlighting the need for girls’ education in the developing world. The event - Educate, Empower, Transform: The Role of Girls' Education in the Developing World – included Simmons Professor of Practice Patricia Deyton as moderator.
Other panelists were Dr. Joyce Fletcher of the Maranyundo Initiative, which operates a boarding school in Rwanda for high-achieving girls; Barbara Heffner of Room to Read, an organization that supports girls in nine countries with improved educational opportunities; Christina Stellini of the Bantwana Initiative at World Education, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of the poor through education and economic and social development programs; and Annette Champney of Pathfinder International, an organization that focuses on reproductive health and the empowerment of women and girls.
During the discussion, which was co-hosted by the Simmons Center for Gender in Organizations and the Simmons Institute for Leadership and Change, participants talked about the importance of educating girls, a message that clearly aligns with the mission of Simmons.
Deyton began the discussion by providing statistics on women worldwide. Deyton said that women do 67 percent of the world’s work, but earn only 10 percent of the world's income. Panelists spoke about the difficulty that families in poverty have, and how girls in these families are seen as a liability and a risk. The group talked about the critical need for local, regional, and international organizations and governments to work together to advocate for policy changes. All of the panelists agreed that education for girls is a basic human right, and the key to economic stability and peace.
Pictured Above (from left to right): Dr. Joyce Fletcher, Annette Champney, Barbara Heffner, Christina Stellini, and Patricia Deyton.
School of Management Celebrates 40th Anniversary
May 22, 2013
More than 200 people attended the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Simmons School of Management (SOM) held at the Downtown Harvard Club of Boston, Tuesday, May 7. At the event, SOM Dean Cathy Minehan welcomed attendees and recognized the evening's guest of honor, founding dean of the School of Management Dr. Anne Jardim. Alumnae/i and friends, including Jacqueline Morby ’78SM, Judy Bornstein ’96SM, and Toni Riccardi ’87SM, were invited to share their reflections on the school's first 40 years, and the 2013 Phyllis Rappaport Alumnae/i Achievement Award was presented to Jennifer Pinck ’86SM. View more photos from the event here.
Pictured above: SOM Dean Cathy Minehan, founding dean of the Simmons School of Management Dr. Anne Jardim, and President Helen Drinan.
Congratulations Simmons Graduates!
May 17, 2013
More than 1,600 Simmons students received degrees from the College at the 108th Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 10 at the Bank of America Pavilion. Documentary filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom delivered the morning Commencement speech, and sharing seven “pearls of wisdom” she has learned while overcoming personal and professional challenges.
“Surround yourself with those who support, champion, and love you...and don't forget to give it back,” she said.
Student speaker Shannon Deady ’13 reflected on the generosity and bravery of the Simmons community in the face of adversity, recalling stories of classmates shoveling out an elderly neighbor’s car following a snowstorm.
“We don’t wait to be asked,” she said. “We are self-starters, and we are closers.”
For the afternoon graduate ceremony, Simmons welcomed back one of the founding deans of the Simmons School of Management, Anne Jardim, who delivered the Commencement Address.
For more coverage of the 2013 Commencement ceremonies, including photos and tweets from the big day, click here.
Undergraduate Conference Showcases Student Research
May 14, 2013
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Simmons students shared research on everything from seahorse tails to web-based health education at the College’s 9th Annual Undergraduate Conference, held in the Linda K. Paresky Conference Center on April 24.
More than 200 undergraduate students participated in the event, which required them to submit a project proposal detailing their research with the support of a faculty mentor. On the day of the conference, students presented their work to faculty, staff, and other students in a series of panel and poster sessions. Projects this year included a 3D analysis of dyes used in museum artifacts and a study of the decomposition rates of invasive species found in the Muddy River.
“Everyone who attended was impressed by how accomplished the presenters were,” said Conference Director Terry Müller. “The participants were proud, too. As one of them said: ‘I was so nervous. I never thought I could do it. It was exciting!’”
Pictured above: Ann Huynh and Ida Bixho with their project, Physical and Chemical Properties of Silver Chlorhexidine Complexes.
Black Alumnae Symposium Held at Simmons
May 1, 2013
The weekend of April 12-14, Simmons hosted more than 100 alumnae/i, faculty, staff, and friends at the 2013 Black Alumnae/i Symposium. This special event, held every five years, invites guests to celebrate their gifts and the power of their presence.
Numerous awards were given to outstanding members of the alumnae/i community, including Kelley Chunn ’90GS; Adunni Slackman Anderson ’73; Theresa Hooper Peterson ’85; Charlotte M. Streat ’00SM; Alicia D. Canady Adamson ’03; Chantel S. Adams ’09; Elizabeth B. Rawlins ’67GS, ’03HD; Patricia D. Phipps ’75; and Cheryl Doddy Howard ’71. Dr. Tererai Trent, Oprah Winfrey’s “all-time favorite guest,” gave an inspiring presentation as the keynote speaker.
In honor of the Black Alumnae/i Symposium, Trustee Roslyn Watson ’71 has challenged alumnae/i to raise funds for the Black Alumnae/i Symposium Legacy Scholarship. She will match every gift made to the scholarship fund through May, up to $150,000. Gifts to the fund may be made online.
Simmons Prepares Fulbright Students for Re-entry
April 29, 2013
For the second year in a row, Simmons hosted international Fulbright students on campus for a customized re-entry program. Approximately 100 Fulbright women from all over the world took part in the four-day program in April, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
The women participating in this seminar came to the United States through the Fulbright Foreign Student Program to earn masters or doctoral degrees. They are nearing the end of their programs, and are preparing to return to their home countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Western Hemisphere, Southeast Asia, and South and Central Asia. The scholars are students of journalism, health sciences, engineering, information technology, and business administration, among other fields of study.
During the seminar, students explored issues related to women’s leadership and cultural, gender, and the professional re-entry challenges they may encounter upon return to their home countries – skills that will make them more successful in pursuing future professional opportunities.
Anya Kekilova, who lives in Turkmenistan and studied engineering, said she appreciated learning about leadership from a female perspective.
“All these years I studied engineering, so leadership is a change,” she said. “We are all professionals, but sometimes it’s hard as women. I always have some doubts, I know that I am capable, but I don’t always know how to speak about it.”
In their four days at Simmons, the women attended classes taught primarily by Simmons faculty on topics such as goal setting, networking, leadership potential, negotiation, and communication style. Joining them was Susan Ness, Vice Chair of the Fulbright Scholarship Board and a Senior Fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies; and Marjorie Margolies, former U.S. Congresswoman and Woodrow Wilson Fellow.
“Bringing so many wonderful people together with so many diverse backgrounds is possible because of Fulbright,” said Tahsina Haque, a Fulbright scholar who is an assistant professor at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology in Bangladesh. “It’s a great experience.”
This is the second time Simmons has hosted a re-entry seminar for Fulbright scholars through the U.S. Department of State. Last year, in a highly competitive process, Simmons was selected to host 30 Fulbright women from Latin America.
Simmons Students Recognized by Women and Girls' Non-Profit
April 25, 2013
Simmons was well represented at the Strong Women Strong Girls (SWSG) annual Strong Awards event April 4, a celebration of SWSG mentors and program partners.
Shannon Curran ’13, received the Above and Beyond Mentor Award and Haley Collins ’14 received the Strongest Match Award. Barbara Lee ’67 was presented with the 2013 Spark Award by Hannah Raiche, a senior at Simmons, a Barbara Lee fellow, and an SWSG mentor.
“Through her lifelong dedication to women and politics and her fellowship program at Simmons College, Barbara Lee has afforded me the opportunity to form a special bond with a strong female mentor who has provided me with invaluable insight, wisdom, support, and guidance,” Raiche said. “This has not only been greatly beneficial, but will undoubtedly be a crucial component to my own success, and for that I am eternally grateful.”
Strong Women Strong Girls is a nationally recognized multi-generational mentoring program that fosters leadership skills, a sense of female community, and a commitment to service among women and girls of all ages.
Pictured above: Boston City Council candidate Michele Wu, Hannah Raiche, SWSG Executive Director Amy Kingman, Barbara Lee, State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, and Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley.
Simmons College Partners on International Social Development Conference, July 2013
April 24, 2013
This summer, Simmons College with Makerere University of Uganda, will co-host the 18th Biennial International Consortium for Social Development Conference in Kampala, Uganda, from July 15 to 19.
The conference, "Opening New Frontiers in Social Development: Facing Opportunities and Challenges," will focus on emerging issues of social development, including health, government and non-government roles, social justice, and human rights. The International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD) is an organization of practitioners, scholars, and students in the human services.
Social Work Professor Hugo Kamya, a member of the ICSD board, says that the conference is a significant entrée for the College onto the global leadership stage. "The Simmons community has always been a pioneering entity in cultivating and supporting its leaders," said Kamya. "This conference is a continuation of that work."
Kamya said that participation by Simmons students and faculty is crucial. Click here to learn how to apply.
Below, Professor Kamya discusses the significance of the international gathering and why international experience is good for all students.
What is the conference about?
The 2013 ICSD conference in Kampala, Uganda, is about social development and the direct path it offers to various global issues, academic fields, social themes, and communities.
While this conference aims to reveal emerging issues of, and approaches to, social development, the conference is also focused on long-standing concerns including Millennium Development Goals; policy limits; poverty and hunger; global climate change; continuous marginalization and social exclusion; issues of social justice and human rights; mobilization of governmental, non-governmental, and civil society institutions.
Additionally, this conference is about leadership. The Simmons community has always been a pioneering entity in cultivating and supporting its leaders. This conference is a continuation of that work. With students and faculty attending this conference, Simmons College is on a global stage, exchanging expertise and identifying strategic approaches to building a future filled with promise.
Why is the conference important?
This conference is important because people are important. Whether a street vendor or the president of a leading nation, social development impacts us all. This conference focuses on the interconnectedness of cultures, identities, governments, and societies. During a time when we hear stories of tragedy on a daily basis, it is important to learn of the great work that people are doing to meet challenges and dismantle systems that prevent the advancement of our global community.
Also, we want to open new frontiers in social development. These issues have been talked about a lot in the past. How can we look beyond the discussions that have been heard about this issue and bring the conversation into new places and new frontiers.
The hope is that it will touch these issues and spark people into thinking about them differently in order to bring about change.
Lastly, this conference is about identifying our commonalities across differences. It is not a surprise that within the 200+ abstract submissions we received for the conference, representing more than 26 countries, there are common themes being researched, discussed, and reviewed. Just to name a few: gender equity, the youth movements, human rights, global warming, LGBTQ movements, healthy communities, and domestic violence.
What is the significance of having it in Uganda?
Uganda has been at the forefront of many of these issues as a developing nation. One of its success stories is the reduction of HIV/AIDS. Uganda has spearheaded an education program that is being exported all over sub-saharan Africa.
This is the second time this conference is being held in Africa. Prior to this, it was held in South Africa in 1999. As a developing nation, Uganda is the first to hold this conference.
Why is it important for all students to have an international experience, regardless of their chosen profession?
We look to students and youth to be the future leaders in social development. A few weeks ago, I was in Uganda and met with the U.S. ambassador to Uganda. His interest and work with the youth, so-called "Generation Change," was clearly evident. The youth are the future of social development. The youth must be engaged.
Simmons's participation (among students and faculty) also is crucial. It is a way to showcase our interest and investment in global leadership.
(Photo by Jennifer Knott 'SW13: Beatrice, a 62-year old teacher living with HIV, and her kindergarten students at "Beatrice's School" in Uganda, July 2012.)
The Day After the Tragedy
April 16, 2013
Dear Members of the Simmons Community:
Yesterday was a sad and frightening day here in Boston. I was in Omaha, Nebraska at a conference when I learned of the events unfolding at home. I spent the next several hours getting information, disadvantaged by cell phone and iPad access difficulties. I finally learned about the most important activity of the moment: ensuring the safety of our students, and ascertaining the whereabouts of as many as possible. My first priority was to get back to campus. I was unable to get a flight home last evening, and left early this morning, arriving around lunchtime.
When something as horrible as this happens, the range of feelings we experience is as broad as the number of people affected. Now that I am home, these events are even more shocking. Before I speak more about that, I want to clarify what information we have about our community members.
To our knowledge, no one in the immediate Simmons community, that is, faculty, staff, or students, was injured in the bombings. We do not yet know about alumnae/i, close friends of the College, people with whom we work in the various practicum sites and agencies, neighboring institutions, and other experiential education opportunities open to our students and staff. We know that some of the victims were known or even related to some of our community members. If you are aware of anyone who has been injured in our greater community, please let me know.
We do know that at least scores of members of the Simmons community were at the Marathon finish line, either as observers, volunteers or helpers in the first aid tents. Others were in some of the hospitals, which received victims, or comforting those people later in the day.
To provide an opportunity for the Simmons community to come together for time to share our feelings and comfort one another, we will hold a gathering tomorrow from noon to 1:00 PM in the Common Grounds Café. I encourage all to take a break from your routine, and I hope wherever possible faculty can release students from classes just before noon to make attendance possible for the greatest number.
While we all try to come to terms with what has happened, we must do so guided by the values that are our traditions: a collective investment in community, and collaboration for the common good. We can and must support each other in the coming days and weeks as we seek to make sense of this tragedy. Inherent in our values is a spirit of inclusiveness that results in openness and trust, encouraging us to work together for a better life. We must understand that the perpetrators of such wanton damage will be identified through proper investigative techniques, and not by the speculation of the public street.
I would like to close by turning back to the feelings we experience in these tragic times. I remember living in Alexandria, Virginia in the aftermath of 9/11, and feeling so confused about how my own hometown was the launch site of the two planes which hit the twin towers. Yesterday and today, I have felt the same confusion about the bombings. Why Boston? Why such inhumanity? How do we ever return to normalcy? What can we possibly learn from such unspeakable evil? In the end, we as human beings must find a way to accept that there are some things we will never understand, and that the only way to triumph against such horror is to live our very best lives in spite of it.
I want to let everyone know that all scheduled events on campus will continue as planned this week. In addition to tomorrow’s community gathering in the Common Grounds Café, there will be several opportunities throughout the week to discuss yesterday’s events. Please find a complete list at the end of this e-mail.
I want to say how very grateful I am to know each and every one of you, and for your contributions to this wonderful community. I hope to see as many of you as possible tomorrow.
-Helen
Tuesday, 4/16
7:30PM
Team Room, Holmes Sports Center
Athletes, Coaches, Athletics Staff Gathering
7:45PM
Residence Campus Quad
Take Back the Night Vigil
Wednesday, 4/17
Noon
Common Grounds, Main College Building
Simmons Community-wide Gathering
*Counseling Center Staff will be available to meet with students in the Student Activities area on the lower level of the Main College Building starting from 11AM-Noon in the Student Activities Area and from 1-3:30 pm in C-105 following the community gathering.
3:30-5:00PM
S-183, Science Building
School of Nursing and Health Sciences Community Gathering
Thursday, 4/18
11:30AM-12:30PM
Student Activities Area, Lower Level, MCB
Counseling Center Staff available to meet with Community Members
Friday, 4/19
2:30-3:30PM
Student Activities Area, Lower Level, MCB
Counseling Center Staff available to meet with Community Members
Simmons Hosts Warburg International Relations Panel: “A Sudden Onset of Terror: The Sad Case of Mali” April 16
April 12, 2013
On April 16, Simmons College will host an expert panel and discussion surrounding the crisis in Mali. “A Sudden Onset of Terror: The Sad Case of Mali,” will be held at the Simmons School of Management, M223 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The discussion will focus on the 2012 rebellion in the African country, which was hijacked by Islamist extremists with forces linked to Al-Qaeda that subsequently pushed the country to the brink of disaster. Few Malians anticipated the sudden failure of their once well-regarded democratic government, the disintegration of their country’s armed forces, and the deliberate destruction of its cultural heritage. Although a French-led military intervention aided the country, Mali still remains damaged and represents a major concern for neighboring countries Algeria and Nigeria.
The evening will be moderated by Mark M. Bellamy, Warburg Chair of International Relations at Simmons and former U.S. Ambassador to Kenya. Among the panelists featured are Colonel Birame Diop, director of Partners for Democratic Change (Dakar) and of the Africa Institute for Security Sector Transformation (Dakar); and Kate Almquist Knopf, Visiting Policy Fellow at the Center for Global Development and former assistant administrator for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
On This Page
- Panelists Discuss Need for Girls’ Education
May 29, 2013 - School of Management Celebrates 40th Anniversary
May 22, 2013 - Congratulations Simmons Graduates!
May 17, 2013 - Undergraduate Conference Showcases Student Research
May 14, 2013 - Black Alumnae Symposium Held at Simmons
May 1, 2013 - Simmons Prepares Fulbright Students for Re-entry
April 29, 2013 - Simmons Students Recognized by Women and Girls' Non-Profit
April 25, 2013 - Simmons College Partners on International Social Development Conference, July 2013
April 24, 2013 - The Day After the Tragedy
April 16, 2013 - Simmons Hosts Warburg International Relations Panel: “A Sudden Onset of Terror: The Sad Case of Mali” April 16
April 12, 2013
