IUPUI Students to Present Projects at IU Women’s Studies Conference

INDIANAPOLIS – Eight Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis students will present research projects at the 18th Undergraduate Intercampus Women’s Studies/Gender Studies Conference on Friday, April 7, 2006. The conference takes place from 9:20 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kresge Auditorium in the Kelley Center on the Indiana University Kokomo campus. This year’s theme is “The Spirit of Women.”

Some of the IUPUI students are presenting projects that they began this semester while others are working on larger projects – independent study efforts conducted over a couple of semesters, said history Associate Professor Nancy M. Robertson, director of women’s studies which is part of the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI.

“Each student worked with their mentors to create a competitive abstract for submission to the conference organizers and we are proud that eight of them were selected to present,” said Robertson, who also worked with the presenting students.

IUPUI students and their topics are:

• Jama Riley, “With Water to the Chin and the Tide Rising – Nurturing the Spirit through the Mother-Daughter Relationship”
• Sheri Diefenbacher, “The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and the Beautiful Woman”
• Amber Hyland, “Music, Media, Makeup”
• Marcia Hakala, “Single Mothers: Education and Welfare Reform”
• Louis Miller, “The Value of Art and Artifice in Edith Wharton’s ‘The Reef’”
• Jodie Hardy, “A Historical and Critical Approach to Women Artists’ Use of the Dress as Sculptural Object and Performance Media”
• Jennifer Apple, “Liberation Through Sexual Exploitation”
• Erica Reichert, “A Bottomless Thirst: Women and Alcoholism”

About 40 students from seven IU campuses will present academic projects during the event. All conference sessions are open to the public and free of charge.

“Participation in this conference enhances students’ self-esteem and confidence in doing academic scholarship since it is modeled on conferences which faculty routinely attend,” said Peggy Z. Brand, associate professor of women’s studies and philosophy at IUPUI. “This can be an enhancement for pursuing advanced degrees as well as a chance to share ideas with student peers.”

Indiana University Northwest sociology Professor Tanice Foltz will present this year’s keynote address at 12:45 p.m. She will discuss “The Resurgence of Sophia in Modern Times: Women’s Spirit in Action.”