WGST faculty honored with Mildred Dahne Award

The College of New Jersey’s Women’s and Gender Studies Program has been named this year’s recipient of the second annual Mildred Dahne Award, the award for outstanding faculty achievement.

The award grants a total of $8,000 to the faculty member, group of faculty members, or department to augment departmental funds, stipend and fund professional developments, and purchase equipment. It is selected by the College’s Mildred Dahne Award Committee based on departmental achievements in community impact, innovation and creativity, teaching excellence, academic excellence, student involvement and service to the discipline and its profession. The endowment was initiated in 2004 after a generous gift from Mildred Dahne '32.

This year the committee reached a unanimous decision after careful deliberation over the exceptional applications received from several departments across the College. 

“The Women’s and Gender Studies program’s application was outstanding, and the achievements of the department are truly exemplary,” reported the committee. “Although small in number, the six full-time faculty members have made an impact on the College and on the profession.”

The department’s accomplishments have contributed to the College community, the local community, and the state of New Jersey.  The creation of Women in Learning and Leadership (WILL) has provided active learning opportunities that empower women as leaders, foster a deeper understanding of women's roles and contributions to society, and offer opportunities for women to investigate career and life choices. Community service and partnerships with local organizations, such as Womenspace, Planned Parenthood and Anchor House, have been implemented by the department.  The department also created the New Jersey Consortium of Women’s Studies Programs, a group that includes all of the higher education programs in women’s studies in the state.  Additionally, the department has organized and sponsored major programming on campus for Women’s History Month since 1990. 

Not surprisingly students of the College’s Women’s and Gender Studies department have been the most frequent winners and honorable mention recipients of the New Jersey Project Achievement Awards for Excellence in Feminist Scholarship.

The award was announced at the Faculty Senate meeting on April 19. Ellen Friedman, director of the WGST program, accepted the award on behalf of the department.

Full-time faculty members Ellen Friedman, professor and director; Janet Gray, associate professor; John Landreau, associate professor; Mary Lynn Hopps, associate professor and director of WILL, Anita Anantharam, assistant professor; and Ann Marie Nicolosi, associate professor.