In honor of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, Lee University’s Cultural Diversity Committee will host a series of events during the week of Feb. 27 – March 2 celebrating International Women’s Week (IWW). Activities will include special lectures, chapel services, and a poster competition.

IWD was first observed on Lee’s campus in 2008 and provides students the opportunity to join with the global community to recognize and celebrate the economic, political, and social achievements and contributions of women to society, as well as address obstacles women have yet to overcome.

Lee University’s International Women’s Week is founded on Genesis 1:27-28, “God created man and woman in his own image; together both man and woman are blessed.” 

“Men and women are created in the image of our God; men and women are both unique, both purposeful, both blessed by God,” said Julie Burchfield, IWW subcommittee chair and instruction and distance learning librarian at Lee. “IWW allows us as a community to celebrate women who have stood against prejudice and ignorance to help reestablish the equality that God intended for his creation.”

On Monday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. in the Edna Minor Conn Lecture Hall, Lee University faculty will hold “A Mind of Her Own: An Interdisciplinary Women Scholars Panel,” to discuss important women in each of their respective fields of study. Speakers include Dr. Chery Brendel, assistant professor of voice; Dr. Julie Campbell, assistant professor of nursing; Dr. Pamela Hobbs, assistant professor of health science; Holly Perleoni, interim MBA program director and lecturer in marketing; and Dr. Ruthie Wienk, assistant professor of sociology.

The Tuesday morning chapel service will feature Lee’s director of global perspectives Dr. Patricia McClung. Ladies of Lee, directed by Dr. Cameron Weatherford, will provide special music during the service, which will take place at 10:45 a.m. in the Chapel.

Latte in the Library will take place on Tuesday evening at 7 in the Squires Library. Dr. La-Juan Bradford, director of academic support and assistant professor of education, will lead the lecture and discussion.

The Student Poster Session will take place Wednesday, March 1, from 12:20 p.m. to 3:35 p.m. in the Science and Math Complex (SMC) Great Room. Students from across campus will prepare posters and presentations about issues related to women, and they will present them during this time. Faculty will judge the student posters, and the winners will be presented cash prizes.

On Thursday morning, Suzanne Burns, Lee graduate and founder and executive director of Foundation House Ministries, will speak in chapel. The chapel service will take place in the Conn Center at 10:45 a.m.

That afternoon, at 4:15 in Squires Recital Hall, the School of Music (SOM) will hold a special performance seminar, “Musical Works by Female Composers and Poets,” coordinated by Dr. Brian Reichenbach, assistant professor of trumpet. Students from the SOM will perform works written by female composers and poets.

Throughout the week an Art Exhibition featuring the work of Trisstah Wagstaff will be open to the public in the Lee University Art Gallery in Squires Library. 

All events are free, non-ticketed, and open to the public.

There will also be a reception on Wednesday to honor the women faculty and staff of Lee and recognize their achievements.

“I am blessed to serve on the IWW subcommittee with my colleagues Dr. ChoEun Lee, Mary Mathias-Dickerson, Ashley Mulligan, and Dr. Muen Vanessa Wei.” said Burchfield. “We would like to thank the Lee University Cultural Diversity Committee and the Office of Racial and Ethnic Relations for their continued support of International Women’s Week.”

For more information about Lee’s IWW events, contact Julie Burchfield at [email protected].