Offering odes to strong women who inspired them was a common thread by speakers at the recent International Women’s Day program held in the Student Union Multipurpose Room.
An annual event, International Women’s Day “acknowledges that our campus community is filled with local women who embody the richness of internationalism, and we would like to recognize these individuals for their contributions to UNC Charlotte and the world,” said Roslyn Lewis, communications coordinator in the Office of International Programs.
For 2016, 24 faculty and staff members and 33 students were recognized, the largest number since the University began its International Women’s Day event in 2005. The Office of International Programs and the Multicultural Resource Center sponsored this year’s event.
Tuyen Lieu, a finance/accounting major in the Belk College of Business, spoke about a mentor, Jennifer Conway, who “inspired me to believe in myself and what I can do.” Originally from Vietnam, Lieu discussed her self-doubts in coming to the United States and how Conway’s mentorship was a positive influence.
Doctoral student Farah Tokmic delivered an ode to her mother, Salam. A native of Lebanon, Tokmic is completing the second year of Ph.D. studies in computing and informatics. A teacher for 25 years, Salam Tokmic eventually became a public school principal, which was “uncommon and rare for a woman (in Lebanon) … While she faced many challenges in her life, she remained and forever will remain the picture of a bright, talented and selfless woman … You may not be with us today in this world, but your legacy lives through all those you have inspired the most.”
Visiting international faculty member Miriam Jorge was cited as a role model by the third speaker, adjunct faculty member Janine Rodrigues Rangel de Assis. As a child, de Assis dreamed of traveling abroad and studying about other cultures. “I met Miriam in 2011, when she was recruiting students” for an exchange program between UFMG (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais) and UNC Charlotte, explained de Assis. Although working six days a week as a student, de Assis applied for various study abroad programs and almost gave up, until she met Jorge. “Her goal was to select students with great potential to study racial discrimination in Brazil and the United States. After taking exams and being interviewed, I was one of the chosen students … If it wasn’t for her, I would have never come to UNC Charlotte. Because of that program, I was invited to come back for my master’s. Last May, I got my degree, and here I am – still.”
UNC Charlotte employees recognized were Ilana Chertok, nursing; Kathy Fisher, facilities management; Michele Guobadia and Karen Shaffer, student affairs; Nancy Gutierrez, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences; Megan Hennings, Andrea Houghton, Denise Medeiros, Sheryl Meyer, Rachawan Wongtrirat and Joanne Zhang, international programs; Othelia Lee and Annelise Mennicke, social work; Vivian Lord, social work and criminal justice and criminology; Elizabeth Racine, public health sciences; Emily Ring, undergraduate admissions; Nhora Saxon, languages and culture studies; Debra Smith, Africana studies; Jamie Strickland, geography and earth sciences; Gabriela Tarazona-Sevillano, global, international and area studies; Kathleen Trippodo, auxiliary services; Kimberly Turner, Multicultural Resource Center; Aysen Ulupinar, housing and residence life; and Cindy Wolf Johnson, academic services.