Published on March 8, 2017 by Philip Poole  
Hidden Figures poster

by Olivia Williams 

Samford University has scheduled four Women’s History Month events during March. Sponsored by Samford’s Office of Diversity and Intercultural Initiatives, the events are free and open to the public. 

Samford’s Office of Diversity and Intercultural Initiatives will partner with the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and Howard College of Arts and Sciences to sponsor two screenings of Hidden Figures March 20 in Christenberry Planetarium. 

The first screening is a showing for employees and will begin at 5 p.m. All employees are encouraged to register. The second screening is for students and will begin at 7:30 p.m. All students will receive a wristband upon entering the planetarium and are encouraged to arrive 20 minutes prior to show time. Two convocation credits will be offered at the film’s conclusion. 

Samford Public Safety Officer Scott Leigh will teach a “Bring It On: Self Defense” course March 22 at 4:30 p.m. in the Howard Room. Registration is available online. 

There will be a screening of the documentary Lives of Courage, Voices of Hope March 23 at 3 p.m. in the planetarium. 

LeeAnn Reynolds, assistant professor of history, will lead a lunch and learn March 29 in the Howard Room beginning at 11:30 a.m. The topic is “The ‘Southern Lady’ as Activist: White Women in the Civil Rights Movement.” Registration is available online. 

In addition to these events, there will be a weekly spotlight on Ladies in Leadership each Friday. Follow @SamfordDiverse on Twitter. The first honoree was Betsy Holloway, vice president for marketing and communication. 

“There are so many great things that are sometimes missed or not recognized by the accomplishments of women. And, while not purposefully overlooked, it provides a time during the year where women are recognized for their important contributions that women have made to our society,” said Denise Gregory, director of diversity and intercultural initiatives, and assistant professor of chemistry. 

“This is the time when we recognize women for their leadership and the work they do for our communities. It’s also great for young people to see women who are accomplished and showcases to youth strong female role models.” 

Olivia Williams is a journalism and mass communication major and a news and feature writer in the Division of Marketing and Communication.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.