College Feminists Connect!

Awesome Scholarships for Mankato State University Students!

Women's Scholarships
due April 25, 2013

Below you will find information about specific scholarships and how to apply for them. If you have questions please call 507-389-6146, or email sandra.bunde@mnsu.edu

Mary Jane Young Scholarship for Re-Entry Women

Learn about Mary Jane Young

These scholarships are for $1,000 each. The number of awards varies from year to year. The deadline for this scholarship is April 25, 2013. 

Eligibility requirements:

• Re-entry, single student with custody of children; or re-entry, married who have delayed their own education to raise a family with an inadequate income of their own, from their partner's income, or their partner's income make them ineligible for other financial aid.
• Full-time undergraduate student in any major attending MSU both fall and spring semesters 2013-2014.
• In good standing with Minnesota State University, Mankato

How to apply:

• Print and fill out the Mary Jane Young Scholarship form
• Write a personal narrative describing yourself, your family, why you are working to obtain a degree, and your plans for the future.  What caused you to want to continue your education now and how this scholarship will help you continue your education.
• Include an unofficial copy of your college transcripts.

Coplan Donohue Single Parent Scholarship

Learn more about Diane Coplan Donohue. These scholarships are for up to $1,000 each. The number of awards varies from year to year. The deadline for this scholarship is April 25, 2013.

Eligibility requirements:

• Non-traditional/single-parent student with primary physical custody of children.
• Commitment to parenting.
• Full-time undergraduate or graduate level student in any major attending MSU both fall and spring semesters 2013-2014.
• In good standing with Minnesota State University, Mankato

How to apply:

• Print and fill out the Coplan Donohue Single Parent Scholarship form
• Write a personal narrative describing yourself, your family, your parenting philosophy, why you are working to obtain a degree, and your plans for the future.
• Include one unofficial trasncript of your college courses 

More scholarships and scholarship information at www.mnsu.edu/wcenter/scholarships/ 

Take Back Halloween?

Yes, I know. I already wrote a 'Halloween' post. 

Really? Sexy Big Bird?

But the more I thought about how Halloween gets used to objectify women and sexualize young girls, the more upset I got. Especially because, I LOVE Halloween. It's by far my favorite holiday. I mean, you get to dress in a costume and pretend to be whoever you want--real or fantasy--and your friends will address you as a princess, or the president, or a teenage mutant ninja turtle! Not to mention the candy and pumpkins! To me, it's a fantastic time to party with your friends, get a sugar-high, dress up and nobody says 'boo' (unless they're dressed like a ghost!). 

Unfortunately, our society has somehow taken what should be an innocent holiday and turned it into an expectation for women to dress in lingerie or be labeled a prude! Everywhere you turn there's a “slutty” or “sexy” version of an animal, cartoon character, monster or even historical character. Don't even get me started on the double entendre of a 'sexy' domestic staff woman. 

Call for Submissions for The Feminist Action Project

The Feminist Action Project is a two-day conference to be held at the University of Texas at Austin on April 1st and 2nd, 2011. They are seeking panel and workshop submissions. This year's theme is Feminism is for Every(body) which encompasses both accessibility to feminism and matters of lived and physical bodies. Goals for the conference include: emphasizing "art as resistance," including in equal measure the experiences and perspectives of academic and community members, making space for discussion about what feminism means (addressing stereotypes, myths, and stigma), and helping broaden the feminist community by framing its issues in relation to other activist movements. They welcome academically oriented and activist proposals but prefer interactive and conversational models. Topics of interest include: marked bodies, race and racism, fat and body activism, disability, ageism, governed bodies/body justice, sex work, reproductive justice, human trafficking, immigration, self-care, self-esteem and self-care, self-care in protest situations, self-care in difficult economic times, class and economic issues, accessing feminism, feminist issues on campus, barriers to adopting the label feminist, movement intersectionality and organizing, and global feminisms.

Please include in your submission:

• Title of panel, workshop, or presentation
• Brief description, no more than 300 words
• Description of AV and space requirements
• Your name and contact information (cell phone and e-mail preferred)

Deadline for submissions is February 1, 2011. Please submit all documents via email to feministactionproject@gmail.com with "Attn: Programming Committee" in the subject line.

Call for Proposals for Student Leaderhsip Conference

The American Association for University Women and NASPA- Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education invite students to submit a proposal for the 2011 National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL). NCCWSL is a two-and-a-half day conference focused on important and contemporary leadership skills for work on their campus and in their community.

The conference will be held June 2-4, 2011 at the University of Maryland, College Park, and will focus on Leadership for Today and Tomorrow. Conference attendees are both current and aspiring female leaders on their campuses and in their communities. While most attendees are college sophomores and juniors, NCCWSL also attracts non-traditional and graduate students interested in both leadership and feminism. While at the conference, these women have the opportunity to explore the philosophical underpinnings of leadership and women's issues, to develop skills for being an effective campus leader, and to learn about opportunities for personal development.

The 2011 Conference Workshop Committee encourages students to submit program proposals for general interest sessions lasting 75 minutes by February 11, 2011. All workshops will be held on Friday, June 3. Submissions on the following themes, and that encourage active participation and engagement from attendees, are particularly encouraged:

• current women's issues
• diversity, inclusion and equity
• leadership skills and styles
• advocacy and social change
• community involvement
• global citizenship
• environmental stewardship
• politics / public policy
• career planning and work-life balance
• financial management
• women and scholarship

For more information about the AAUW/NASPA National Conference for College Student Women Leaders, including registration information, visit: nccwsl.org.

College Feminists Connect Official Launch

On September 17, 2010 the Minnesota Women's Consortium will officially launch College Feminists Connect (CFC) from Moorhead State University's Women's Studies Department lunch hour Colloquium. After a year long pilot, CFC will officially be available to college feminists across the state. For more details about the launch, please read the press release available here. More information about CFC can be found in the About Us section of this site or by writing the CFC Coordinator.

As of September 17, CFC will be accepting applications for College Feminist Connect Campus Liaisons. College Feminists Connect Campus Liaisons are the program’s link to college and university campuses across the state. It is the campus liaisons that keep this program strong and active. One or two CFC Liaison position will be available on each campus. Read about how to apply here. We will also begin accepting submissions, events, and program information for the blog. All items can be sent to the CFC Coordinator. We look forward to working with all of you and building feminist partnerships across Minnesota campuses.

Occupied Bodies: Women of Color Speak on Self-Image Call for Submissions

Tasha Fierce of Red Vinyl Shoes is soliciting essays for an anthology on women of color's self-image/body image as shaped by family, friends, media, society, history, lived experiences, etc. She is looking for   "smart, accessible, and snappy personal narratives that also offer nuanced analysis of the underlying constructs that affect how we perceive ourselves." The voices of women of color that are not often heard or represented are especially encouraged to participate. Women of color such as trans* WOC, disabled WOC, queer WOC, WOC outside the U.S., WOC with eating disorders, working class/poor WOC, and fat WOC. 

For more information about this project and specific guidelines visit Red Vinyl Shoes. Read a PDF copy of the call for submissions.