Mills College WeeklyFor her work reflecting a commitment to empowering women and social justice, President Janet Holmgren received an award last week at a luncheon in Sacramento from the California National Organization for Women.
Sally Randel, vice president for institutional advancement, said that Holmgren was one of five California women honored at this event.
“It means that Mills gets some recognition along with her,” said Randel.
“It’s a positive media mention for Mills and it encourages people to remember Mills is here.”
According to the executive director of California NOW Helen Grieco, Holmgren was chosen as a recipient of their Excellence in Education award because she has been instrumental in shaping the national agenda for women and higher education through her leadership at Mills and on prominent national boards.
Holmgren was also recognized because she has shown a commitment to Safety, Health and Equal Opportunity (S.H.E), which was started by Grieco two years ago.
The agenda of the California National Organization for Women also includes the vision of the true social, political and economic equality for all women. In realizing this agenda, the organization believes that women must share leadership with men in the following areas: media, business, politics and education.
NOW will continue to work to advance women in these areas by ensuring that they have the expertise, experience and opportunities to lead by honoring them through S.H.E Agenda events, according to the California NOW web site.
Grieco said that in the line of education, they were looking at institutions that teach media studies, politics and law, business, ethnic studies and women’s studies.
“She [Holmgren] was a top contender,” said Grieco. “One of the reasons I started it [S.H.E] was to give awards to people like Jan.”
“This came as a surprise to me,” said Holmgren. “I couldn’t think of any other award that would warm my heart more.”
The four other award recipients included: Dr. Anita Borg, Founder and CTO of the Institute For Women and Technology; Geraldine Parker, professor and chair of the American Indian studies department at De Anza College; Dr. Myra Strober, labor economist and professor at the school of education at Stanford University and Martha West, professor of law at the UC Davis law school.
According to a press release, California NOW President Megan Seely said, “These preeminent women in education are role models who have dedicated their talents and enthusiasm for learning to advancing women in society.”
