This year marks first Women’s History Month for Albion College
By Heidi Schurman
Staff Writer

March 1 marks the beginning of Women’s History month.

Here at Albion College, students, faculty and staff are preparing a month full of festivities in celebration of Anna Howard Shaw.

Anna Howard Shaw was not only a pastor, a doctor and president of the National American Women’s Suffrage Association, but also attended Albion College in 1873.

Traditionally, Albion College has celebrated AHS week, but this year it has been extended to an entire month.

“We wanted a month, we deserve a whole month,” said Alexis Snyder, Coldwater freshman.

Trisha Franzen, Director of the Anna Howard Shaw Center for Women’s Studies and Programs said that it is hard to fit everything into one week.

“We thought we would spread things out,” Franzen said. A month not only makes things easier for the coordinators, but it is easier for busy students to fit speakers and shows into their schedules.

This AHS month promises to be exciting and enjoyable for everyone. The Voices of Africa, performing on Thursday, March 8, is one act that shouldn’t be missed.

The group is compromised of acappella singers and a percussion ensemble. Voices of Africa will give Albion students a glimpse of African cultures and tradition.

In addition to singers, there will also be several film festivals at Bobbitt Auditorium.

Films such as But I’m a Cheerleader and Wing Chung will be showing throughout the month.

Expect humor, heartbreak, determination and even a little martial arts from these carefully chosen films that include women as the main characters.

The Introduction to Women’s Studies class will also have information tables in the Kellogg Center. The tables will be up on every Tuesday and Thursday in March.

Students in the class are preparing different topics for each day ranging from women’s health to violence against women.

You may even see some extra competition in Greek Week by women.

This year the Panhellenic Council and the Women’s studies department have teamed up to include women, other than sorority women, in the Greek Week sports games.

Doing all of these activities and bringing so many artists to the campus does come at a price.

Contributions are coming from every source possible.

Several different departments and organizations are contributing, including the Ford Institute, the anthro/soc department, Union Board, the Coffee House, Black Student Alliance and S.A.P.E..

Snyder said there has been talk about men’s studies and men’s history month, but men are the expected norm and sometimes they need to share the spotlight.