Women’s History Month at MSOE was filled with events, activities and missions to support and celebrate women on campus and in the community, as well as commemorate the role of women in American history. 

MSOE events included an International Women’s Day celebration, Women Empowering Women event that discussed the importance of equitable and inclusive spaces, a Women’s History Luncheon featuring guest speaker Lisa Attonito of the Women’s Fund, and a Get the Salary You Deserve workshop hosted by the Career Connections Center that empowered students to secure the starting salary they deserve.

Women-led student organizations were involved in these events as well as spearheaded their own events. The Society for Women Engineers (SWE) hosted a Spring Forward Paint ‘n Plant social event as well as focused on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) during their monthly meeting and shared how students can incorporate DEIB in their daily lives. They also hosted an open skate in the Kern Center that featured music by female artists and about female empowerment.

“My favorite part of the Women’s History Month celebrations was seeing everyone come together to learn how to provide a more inclusive environment and support the women on campus,” said Alexandria Such, president of SWE.

At the International Women’s Day table, a student came up to Such and asked how he can promote DEIB efforts in his student organization, as well as how to better advocate for the females in his org that aren’t generally included in the technical aspects of the group. “I was very honored that he felt comfortable to not only admit the faults in that group, but also ask for my opinion on ways to improve and get involved with multicultural organizations on campus,” said Such.

In addition to connecting with students on campus, another student group, Alpha Omega Epsilon (AOE), strived to help those in the community by hosting a Menstruation Donation Drive. The group collected tampons, pads, menstrual cups and more for the Milwaukee Diaper Mission, a nonprofit organization that partners with local social service agencies to distribute disposable and reusable diapering and period supplies to the families.

Teresa Toohil, AOE sister, shared the group wanted to host this drive to normalize discussion around the topic of menstruation as well as raise awareness for the need for menstrual hygiene products. “Having access to period supplies is something I think one can often take for granted,” said Toohil. “Part of the inspiration for this drive was one of the small gestures that drew me to MSOE in the first place—free pads and tampons in the restrooms here at our university. I found that so thoughtful as I’d never seen another educational institution do that (aside my high school, Wauwatosa West) let alone provide such critical items for free!”

The Women’s History Month events across campus provided an opportunity for the campus to connect, learn and celebrate one another.

“I think it's important to celebrate Women's History Month with events like these since they promote inclusivity and raise awareness of how far we've come with improving our society and university. These events bring passion towards learning how we can do better and make the world a better place for everyone,” said Such.