Student Union
- By Devon Sgubin
How Will You Celebrate International Women's Day?
A thousand women march through the streets of YPG-held Sheikh Maqsood in #Aleppo, to celebrate the upcoming International Women's Day. pic.twitter.com/scLCcF37Kl
— Afarin Mamosta (@AfarinMamosta) March 6, 2017
International Women’s Day (IWD), which recognizes the work and achievements of women worldwide, is celebrated Wednesday.
The day also calls for attention and action to help push society towards gender equality. Women celebrate and march worldwide, including Aleppo (see video), Iran, India and the U.S.
This year’s theme is #BeBoldForChange.
The theme calls for men and women around the world to voice their concerns of gender exclusion and help promote gender parity in their day to day lives.
Similar to A Day Without Immigrants, women in the United States will participate in A Day Without Women on IWD. The strike aims to highlight the contributions women make to the economy and the impact they have on society despite discrimination, inequality and harassment.
Alexandria, Virginia, officially closed its public schools March 8, expecting most of their staff and faculty to participate in A Day Without Women. More than 300 faculty and staff have requested leave for the day.
City schools in Chapel Hill-Carrboro, North Carolina will also close for the day, citing a lack of staff to run the schools in the district.
College campuses in the U.S. have created events and celebrations in recognition of International Women's Day.
A silent auction will take place at Indiana State University on International Women’s Day to fund the international education program, She’s The First, which offers “scholarships to girls in low-income countries, fostering first-generation graduates and cultivating the next generation of global leaders.”
That auction is hosted by the International Student Leadership Council.
The Women 4 Women Student Board from University of Louisville, Kentucky, is holding a one day Cultural Awareness Event in recognition of IWD. The day’s event seeks to raise awareness of the cultural diversity on campus while celebrating the empowerment of women. The event will include interactive workshops, art, performances, free food and henna.
Ohio University's Women's Center is celebrating IWD by hosting The International Women's Day Festival on Sunday, March 19. The event will provide “an opportunity for the campus community to highlight women's and girl's achievements, to reflect on women's status today, and to imagine a future where all women are valued as local, national, and global citizens," according to Ohio University.
IWD was first internationally recognized in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland and has spread worldwide. IWD is officially recognized in over 25 countries.
Are you celebrating International Women's Day? Please leave a comment here, and visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, thanks!
See all News Updates of the Day
Analysts say rate of college closures likely to increase
If current trends continue, the rate of college closures is expected to increase, according to a new study reported in Forbes.
Closures are more likely to affect private institutions, and while the number of closures might seem small on a national level, it could cause serious problems for the smaller and mid-sized communities where those colleges are located. (December 2024)
Judge upholds racial considerations in US Naval Academy admissions
Although the U.S. Supreme Court last year decided that civilian colleges and universities could not consider race or ethnicity in admissions, a judge ruled that the U.S. Naval Academy had established a national security interest in a diverse officer corps.
That means the academy – and other military service academies – can continue to consider race. A similar policy at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point has also been challenged, but that case has not yet gone to trial, according to a report in Navy Times. (December 2024)
Harvard recommends gap year as a strategic move
While some students and parents see the gap year as a waste of time, others see the break in academic studies as valuable for developing maturity, earning money or focusing goals.
MSN.com explains some of the reasons why Harvard – and other prestigious schools in the United States – are recommending that students take a gap year. (December 2024)
Student dilemma: Financial aid applications can expose undocumented parents
Many students in the U.S. rely on financial aid to attend colleges and universities, but as Julia Barajas reports in LAist.com, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid could cause a dilemma for students with an undocumented parent.
If students fill out the application, they will share their parents’ financial information – and potentially raise questions about their immigration status -- with the federal government. If they don’t fill out the application, they won’t get federal financial aid. (December 2024)
FDA: College students using ‘honey packets’ to enhance sex put themselves at risk
With TikTok videos promoting “honey packets,” the supplements marketed as sexual enhancements have become popular on college campuses.
But as Charles Trepany reports in USA Today, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that ingredients in the supplements could be potentially dangerous. (November 2024)
