National Women’s History Month

Mission Statement: MTSU’s National Women’s History Month programming recognizes, promotes, and celebrates women’s contributions and causes by providing education and entertainment from a feminist perspective that emphasizes cultural transformation to achieve social justice and women’s empowerment.

The National Women’s History Month Committee coordinates programming each academic year, including an opening ceremony, keynote speaker, and featured presentations.

Events are held throughout the year and announced through the NWHM calendar and flyers posted on campus, though the majority are held in March and announced via our annual NWHM Calendar. To receive a copy of the calendar, contact the June Anderson Center office at jacwns@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5812.

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2025 National Women’s History Month Theme

Each year, the National Women’s History Alliance sets the theme for each National Women’s History Month. The MTSU National Women’s History Month Committee uses or aligns its theme with that set for the country. For 2025, the National Women’s History Month Committee proudly presents NWHA’s theme of: “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations”. This theme celebrates the collective strength and influence of women who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship, and leadership. Through their efforts, they have served as an inspiration for all generations – both past and present.

IMPORTANCE & RELEVANCE
Throughout history, the process of information-sharing has been a powerful catalyst for change. An honest, open examination of new insights and knowledge can create a framework for collaboration.

This, in turn, promotes the well-being of groups, businesses, communities, and society as a whole. From classrooms to boardrooms, and from grassroots movements to global initiatives, women educators and leaders have played a pivotal role in nurturing minds and inspiring transformative action.

Our 2025 theme spotlights the contributions women have made to the American educational system, the free marketplace of ideas, and the very fabric of our democaracy.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

• Honor: recognize the achievements and contributions of women educators, mentors, and leaders.
• Inspire: Motivate all generations to pursue education and leadership roles.
• Educate: Raise awareness about the unheralded legacies of women from every walk of life, highlighting their unique contributions and diverse backgrounds, including socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, culture, abilities, and personal experiences.
• Unite: Bring together communities to explore, share, and celebrate women’s history and achievements.
• Envision: Create a blueprint for the future that honors our foremothers and builds bridges for the next generation of women.

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2025 Events Calendar

All events are included below and may not be on the printed calendar.

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March 3rd, 2025 (6:00pm, SCI 1003) My Journey to Leadership in Industry and ACS
Dorothy J. Phillips will speak about her professional and personal journeys, on moving forward even when she wasn’t sure of the outcome. She will discuss her 40-year industrial career in R&D and Marketing. She will also talk about the American Chemical Society and the diversifying of its leadership over the last 50 years, including the timeline for the progression of diverse leaders. For more information, please contact judith.iriarte-gross@mtsu.edu.

March 4th, 2025 (Noon-2:00pm Library Atrium) Textbook Affordability Tabling: Breaking Barriers with Affordable Learning
March 6th, 2025 (Noon-2:00pm Student Union Atrium) Textbook Affordability Tabling: Breaking Barriers with Affordable Learning
Drop by our table to learn how affordable textbooks and Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) courses can help you succeed! Share your thoughts on textbook costs and explore how ZTC courses can save you money when registering for classes. Together, let’s move forward toward a future where education is accessible for all. For more information, please contact ginelle.basking@mtsu.edu.

March 5th, 2025 (5:00-7:00pm Student Union Ballroom) Women’s Celebration Dinner
This year’s main event will include a Women’s Celebration Dinner featuring student, faculty, staff, alumni, and community, awards, highlight speaker: Amanda Nachman, and dinner. Allies welcome and encouraged.
RSVP Closed February 20th.
Cosponsored by the Distinguished LectureFund and the President’s Commission on the Status of Women.
Amanda Nachman’s book will be available in Phillips Bookstore prior to the event, as well as the night-of. She will be signing books after the celebration.
For more information, please contact maigan.wipfli@mtsu.edu.

March 6th, 2025 (7:30pm Hinton Hall, Wright Music Building) Choral Concert
Join the SOAL (Soprano-Alto) and TEBA (Tenor-Bass) Chorals as we celebrate music by and about women. You’ll hear all types of music: from the medieval chant of Hildegard von Bingen, to Rosephayne Powell’s adaptation of Maya Angelou’s “I Still Rise.” The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact angela.tipps@mtsu.edu.

March 17th, 2025 (12:30pm HONR 106) “Shaking It Up!” Documentary Screening
March 18th, 2025 (1:00pm HONR 106) “Shaking it Up!” Documentary Screening
In advance of the campus discussion with the producer of “Shaking It Up!” there will be two public screenings of the documentary. For more information, please contact mary.evin@mtsu.edu.

March 19th, 2025 (2:30pm HONR 106) “Shaking It Up!” During Women’s History Month at MTSU
An MTSU sit-down and dialogue with film maker Christy Carpenter, about the 2024 documentary on the life of her journalist-feminist-politician mother Liz Carpenter. For more information, please contact mary.evins@mtsu.edu.

March 19th, 2025 (3:30-5:30pm ACB) Benevolence for Empowerment
Screening event for the film “Benevolence, a Journey form Prison to Home”; a documentary examining the unique reentry needs of justice-involved women and the challenges they face upon returning to the community. A panel of expert practitioners from Middle Tennessee will share their work to empower women seeking to move forward. For more information, please contact elizabeth.wright@mtsu.edu.

March 19th, 2025 (6:00pm Center for Popular Music, BRAGG 140)
Join the Center for Popular Music and MTSU Women in Audio for a listening party exploring Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft. We’ll listen to and discuss the album’s sound, production, and themes while making custom buttons to take home. For more information, please contact ashley.armstrong@mtsu.edu.

March 20th, 2025 (4:00-6:00pm MEC MTG ROM) International Women’s Poetry Reading
International Women’s Poetry Reading: Rising into Tomorrow is an event that celebrates poetess from around the world. This cross-cultural event brings together the poetry of women, exploring themes of empowerment, resilience, and hope for better days. For more information, please contact luciana.prestes@mtsu.edu.

March 25th and 26th, 2025 (1:00-4:00pm Student Union Room 330) Crafternoon: Board and Brush
Join the June Anderson Center for their monthly crafternoon of Board and Brush. Come and go anytime 1:00-4:00pm or pick up the kit and take it with you. We will host an optional Zoom on 3/26/25 at 8:00pm. Zoom link provided at kit pick up. For more information, please contact maigan.wipfli@mtsu.edu.

March 27th, 2025 (12:30-2:00pm Student Union Room 210) Maternal Mortality
Graduate student Cassie Sistoso and MT Generation Action are hosting a lunch-and-learn in honor of National Women’s History Month! Bring your lunch while we learn about the unique challenges women face in accessing proper health care. For more information, please contact mtsugenerationaction@gmail.com.

March 29th, 2025 (1:00-3:00pm Student Union Room 227) Writing HerStory
“Writing HerStory” is a creative and therapeutic event designed to help individuals explore and express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences through the power of storytelling. This even provides a safe and supportive space for participants to use writing as a tool for self-reflection, healing, and personal growth. Special guest author and literary agent: Mytecia R. Myles. For more information or to register, please contact Sr. Christina Cobb at christina.cobb@mtsu.edu.

March 31st, 2025 (3:00-5:00pm Student Union Gallery- Room 142) MTSU Women’s Collective
Join the MTSU Women’s Collective for networking and a roundtable discussion centered on female-identifying topics. Allies welcome and encouraged. Drop In. For more information, please contact maigan.wipfli@mtsu.edu.

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Submit an event to be considered for the calendar
(closed for 2025)

In addition to programming the Committee organizes, we welcome proposals for co-sponsored NWHM events or requests to add events to our Calendar.

Submit a Funding Co-Sponsorship Proposal
(closed for 2025)

In addition to programming the Committee organizes, we welcome proposals for co-sponsored NWHM events or requests to add events to our Calendar. To submit a proposal, please complete a NWHM Proposal Form. Proposals are evaluated in the order received, based upon their adherence to the NWHM mission statement, their contribution to the diversity of programming, and the availability of funds. The Co-Sponsorship Subcommittee meets to review proposals. 

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Previous NWHM Button Honorees and Keynote Speakers

Year	Button Honoree	Keynote Speaker
2008	Angela Davis	Rebecca Walker
2009	Shirley Chisholm	bell hooks
2010	Gloria Steinem	Gloria Steinem
2011	Frida Kahlo
2012	Annie Sullivan	Marlee Matlin
2013	Sally Ride	Sheril Kirshenbaum
2014	Sojourner Truth	Soledad O’Brien
2015	Maya Angelou	Lisa Ling
2016	Benazir Bhutto	Judy A. Smith
2017	Madam C.J. Walker	Laila Ali
2018	Pat Summitt	Shalon D. Pillow & Tiffany Woosley
2019	Aretha Franklin	Julie Cohen
2020 & 2021	Mary Eliza Church Terrell Ida B. Wells Barnett Alice Paul	Dr. Mary Frances Berry
2022	bell hooks	Dr. Jacqueline Walters
2023	Toni Morrison	Nancy Giles
2024	Ruth Bader Ginsburg	Rebekah Taussig
2025	Mary McLeod Bethune	Amanda Nachman

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Committee Chair and NWHM Coordinator

Dr. Maigan Wipfli
June Anderson Center for Women & Nontraditional Students
Maigan.Wipfli@mtsu.edu 
Phone: 615-898-5812

Co-Sponsorship Committee Chair

Dr. Vicky MacLean
Director, Women’s and Gender Studies Department
vicky.maclean@mtsu.edu