University of Michigan News Service – UM News
Center for the Education of Women awards scholarships
ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan Center for the Education of Women (CEW) has awarded 37 scholarships and three fellowships to outstanding female students at the U-M. The CEW Scholarship Program for returning women students was established in 1970 to honor the academic performance and potential of women who have had an interruption in their educational experiences. Now in its 32nd year, the CEW Scholarship Program recognizes nearly 40 female students each year on the basis of goals, commitment, academic record, promise, strength and motivation.
The CEW was established in 1964 with a three-fold mission that continues today: dedication to research, service, and advocacy for women. The Center is committed to the advancement of women’s academic and professional goals, offering assistance to students and community members through counseling, workshops, a resource library and scholarship opportunities.
Scholarship winners are:
MICHIGANAlpena:
Macgregor (Littler) Montano, Aline Underhill Orten Foundation Scholar, worked for seven years as a pharmacy technician, and is now earning her doctorate in pharmacy, a field that combines her interest in technical analysis and her care-giving skills. She currently works in pediatrics, but is also experienced in intensive care, emergency, oncology, and surgery units. Montano has taken every opportunity to learn along the way from the wide variety of professionals, patients, and experiences.
Ann Arbor:
Inna Altschul, Lucile B. Conger Scholar, received both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in geophysics. While she enjoyed studying and worked in this field for five years, Altschul realized her interests lay in the questions surrounding the construction of identity, with specific regard to social equity and multiculturalism—an interest that will prove productive to her doctoral research in sociology. Altschul’s research will focus on how migrants make sense of shifting identities, especially in the face of oppression. Through teaching, Altschul also wants to advance social change and build cultural awareness.
Felicia Andrews, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar. While on a tour through South Africa, Felicia Andrews found an accounting position in Johannesburg and stayed in the country for three years. There she met a network of talented women who made exceptional handcrafted items. Immediately seeing their value, Andrews set up a business to import the items into the United States, giving these women immediate financial rewards. Increasing women’s participation in international trade is now her focus as Andrews pursues her J.D. in law. In the future, Andrews hopes to empower African women to even greater market participation.
Amber Arellano, Lucile B. Conger Scholar. As a journalist, Arellano was able to connect the personal with the political. Working for the Detroit Free Press, she covered a range of issues but deadlines truncated her exploration into the connections between poverty, race, gender, and public policy. After getting her master’s degree in public policy, Arellano plans to become a columnist who writes on policy issues.
Miriam Bitton, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar. Having studied law previously at Bar-Ilan University, Bitton clerked for the attorney general and a supreme court justice in Israel. After completing her doctorate in law at the U-M, Bitton plans to return to her native country, to investigate the field of intellectual property. Bitton’s doctoral topic will focus on the roles patents play in access to drugs in developing countries, specifically with regard to HIV/AIDS in Africa. Her interests also include the economic and social impacts of the law and plans to work with public-interest law efforts to advance rights for women in Israel.
E. Summerson Carr, Mary Malcomson Raphael Fellow, holds a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies, and is currently enrolled in the joint doctoral program in social work and anthropology. Her broad interests demonstrate her interdisciplinary approach to her studies which will focus on narrative and contemporary women’s drug treatments. Carr is committed to teaching as well as research. Having previously lectured in both social work and women’s studies, Carr plans to find an academic appointment in one of her three areas of interest.
Ann Carrellas, Gail Allen Scholar, is switching careers after having spent 25 years as a social worker. Her experience has allowed her to view children as a very important element of families, communities, and society, which in turn, has inspired her to extend her energies to teaching. Carrellas has had many experiences in social work—creating human sexuality curricula for disabled adults, serving as a Peace Corps health educator in Senegal, and working in maternal and pediatric health care. Seeking her master’s in elementary education at the U-M, Carrellas is interested in creating the best learning environment possible for children.
Sanyogita Chavan, 2001 University of Michigan Faculty Women’s Club Scholar. After several years of working in architecture in Mumbai (Bombay), Chaven is now working for her master’s degree in urban planning at the U-M. After obtaining her degree, Chaven plans to return to India to work with government organizations and help formulate policies that will solve planning and development problems in one of the most populous cities in the world. In addition, she aims to advocate for women’s rights in India, with an eventual focus on women in rural areas.
Devra Coren, Mary Malcomson Raphael Fellow, is a doctoral student in political science dedicating her research to finding answers to questions concerning the notion of democracy, specifically with those concerning the Ugandan process of drafting a constitution. In her studies, Coren seeks to analyze the effects of public participation in the constitution-making process. Coren has also been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship as well as a National Science Foundation Grant.
Sara Goodkind, Mary Malcomson Raphael Fellow, is currently enrolled in the joint doctoral program in social work and sociology. Through the combination of theoretical work and research, Goodkind plans to address considerations of identity and social justice as they are seen in the services available to young women in the juvenile justice system. Her doctoral research will focus on gender constructs and assumptions being built into the growing number of gender-specific programs for girls.
Janice Habarth, Janice Gibson Likert Scholar. Having received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, Habarth is now returning to school to receive her doctorate in clinical psychology as well as a women’s studies graduate certificate. Habarth recently served as coordinator of a U-M research project that tracked the development of 250 children in the Head Start project. Habarth is interested in the interpersonal aspects of psychology, with specific regard to the female experience, and the relationship of community resources to maternal well-being.
Akiko Kamimura, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, came to the United States from Japan in order to receive her master’s degree in social work at the U-M. Now pursuing her Ph.D. in health services organizations and policy, Kamimura wants to take back to Japan what she has learned here in order to advance professionalism in Japan’s still developing field of social work. In her studies, Kamimura has paid specific attention to questions affecting the quality of nursing home aid and corporate ownership, and she has also worked with issues of cultural differences in Japanese and American responses to HIV/AIDS.
Ji Sook Park, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, holds a master’s degree in education and has taught for many years at colleges in Korea. She is now seeking a master’s degree in social work. Volunteering in Korea for an after-school program, teaching parenting skills, as well as serving as a community organizer are among the experiences that allowed Park to refine her career focus to center around working women. With her degree, Park plans to work on behalf of impoverished and oppressed people, paying special attention to elderly women.
Justine Pas, Cecilia Anne Stiborik Dreyfuss Scholar, immigrated to Southern California from Poland when she was 15. Knowing little English, she finished high school at the top of her class. After a postponement in her education, Pas went on to study American studies. Her doctoral work in American studies will focus on immigration with emphasis on language and identity in culture. Pas’ research will also involve interdisciplinary work in Judaic studies and women’s studies.
Karen Sanders, Lucile B. Conger Scholar. Seeking her master’s degree in fine arts, Sanders is interested in the ways that representations define society, specifically in the areas of photography, video, and the Internet. Sanders worked as a forensics photographer for the city of Detroit which sharpened her focus to the ways that society processes mass media information. She is especially interested in how marginalized groups receive these images. Sanders has also worked in Houston teaching photography, video and computer skills to African American and Hispanic teens.
Vicky Vaclavek, Molly H. Dobson Scholar, is currently enrolled in the nursing program at the U-M. After encouraging a friend to pursue her interest in medical care, Vaclevek realized that she, too, shared this interest, and joined this friend in enrolling in community college courses, leading to her associate’s degree. She received her degree while also raising six children.
Kristina Voros Connell, Irma M. Wyman Scholar, has worked a variety of different jobs, learning with each one, ways to use technology more efficiently. Currently, Voros Connell works as an advanced support technician for Borders Groups Inc., where she has seen that too often computer software is not designed with the user in mind. Hoping to change this, Voros Connell is seeking a master’s degree at the U-M in the School of Information, which offers a concentration in human-computer interaction.
Audrey Kay Werthan, American Association of University Women Scholar, enrolled in the U-M’s School of Natural Resources and Environment after a simple walk inspired her to dedicate her life to the environment. Realizing that a variety of social problems—war, poverty, hunger, and disease—are intricately connected to the environment, Werthan revisited math and science with a new sense of purpose. Werthan is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree and looks forward to contributing to the struggle for a healthy ecosystem.
Emily Yu, Sarah Winans Newman Scholar, worked for four years as a public health researcher. Although she enjoyed her work, her primary desire was to work directly with people. Yu decided to return to school to pursue a career in academic medicine, combining her interests by both treating patients and conducting research. Yu’s volunteer experience also nurtured her interpersonal growth. She has also worked at a free clinic, on a counseling hotline, and one-on-one with sexual assault survivors.
Ceboygan:
Adrienne Janney, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, has begun a master’s degree program at the U-M’s School of Information with a concentration on information economics, management, and policy. A former journalist and page editor for the Michigan Daily, as well as the former editor of the Cheboygan Daily Tribune, Janney wants to spread information technology so that these advances can be useful to all.
Dearborn:
Lina Bazzi, Irma M. Wyman Scholar, demonstrated her commitment to education at a young age when she graduated with honors, while attending high school in Lebanon during a civil war. Lina’s family moved to the United States in 1989, and a year later Bazzi met her husband and they soon began a family. Lina took a four-year hiatus from school in order to devote herself to her son and daughter. Now that they are in school, however, Bazzi is returning to her career goals, and she is on her way to her bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering at the U-M-Dearborn.
Priscilla Zenn, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar. Starting off her career in education when her children were at school by volunteering with at-risk kids, Zenn then went on to substitute teach for the Dearborn Public School District. Now Zenn is working towards her master’s degree in education at the U-M-Dearborn, and wants to eventually teach history, political science and economics to high school students.
Detroit:
Carmen Martin, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, is working towards her bachelor’s degree in financial accounting and reporting at the U-M-Dearborn. Having had to interrupt her education in order to work and support her daughter, Martin is returning to school with a new excitement. She is very active on campus, tutors other students in accounting, and with her daughter regularly volunteers at soup kitchens and centers for battered women. In addition, Martin has been working to start her own business which she hopes will grow into an accounting and auditing firm.
Eastpointe:
Deborah Bowden, Molly H. Dobson Scholar, is in her junior year at the education at the U-M-Dearborn, working towards her bachelor’s degree in environmental science. Wanting to set a good example for her children by going to college, she worked full-time and went to school full-time for two years. Bowden quit working in order to devote herself fully to school, and has since been making the most of her college experience. Bowden’s goal is to own an environmental consulting company, advising businesses on how to avoid degrading the environment.
Highland:
Danette Lee, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, is seeking a master’s of nurse midwifery at the U-M. Beginning her career in public health, and as a registered nurse in a variety of hospital settings, her experience has brought her into contact with many different cultures. Lee has learned that pregnancy and childbirth hold a variety of meanings in the world’s cultures. With this experience, Lee plans to practice as a midwife with immigrants, the Indian Health Bureau, or other minority populations.
Holland:
Elizabeth Claar, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, received her bachelor’s degree in music. After college, however, she decided to explore other fields like business, technology, and teaching English as a second language. However, she came to realize that music performance and instruction was her major interest. Claar is returning to school to pursue a master’s degree in this area.
Holly:
Suzanne Heiple, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, is returning to college at the U-M-Flint for a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in technical writing. Heiple plans to go on to receive her master’s degree in public administration, specifically health care administration. In the future, Heiple wants to advocate for change within the health insurance industry.
Mt. Morris:
Vicky Dawson, Dorothy Gies McGuigan Scholar, is completing her bachelor’s degree in English at the U-M-Flint. After completing her bachelor’s degree, Dawson plans to pursue her Ph.D. in English and women’s studies. Through an outreach program aimed at recruiting minority students into teaching, Dawson also discovered her passion for the profession, and plans to incorporate teaching into her future as well.
Northville:
Barbara Lucas, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, worked as an occupational therapist for five years before taking time off to raise her children. While out of the workforce, Lucas became an environmental activist, creating the “3-R Infoline” in Royal Oak as well as the “3-R Challenge” for use in the Royal Oak school system. Among other things, she worked to promote tree preservation and replacement as well as energy conservation. Lucas is returning to school to earn her master’s degree in resource policy and behavior at the School of Natural Resources and Environment.
Plymouth:
Jacquelin Koch, University of Michigan Faculty Women’s Club Scholar, earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. After college, she took a position at a firm that builds power plants where she was responsible for heat rejection and air pollution systems. This experience enhanced her interest in the atmosphere, an interest that began years ago as she grew up near the Great Lakes. Koch is now pursuing a master’s degree in atmospheric science at the U-M.
St. Clair Shores:
Janice Habarth, Jane Gibson Likert Scholar. Having received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, Habarth is now returning to school to receive her doctorate in clinical psychology as well as a women’s studies Graduate Certificate. Habarth recently served as coordinator of a U-M research project that tracked the development of 250 children in the Head Start project. Habarth is interested in the interpersonal aspects of psychology, with specific regard to the female experience, and the relationship of community resources to maternal well-being.
West:
Judy Tigay, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, is seeking a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the U-M. She has worked as a nurse’s aide, volunteered at a cancer center, and is the mother of six children. Tigay also volunteered at a birthing center, later helping to open another one, and took courses with the La Leche League and La Maze International. This led her to discover her interest in childbirth and care-giving. She became a doula, a labor coach, and then began studying holistic midwifery. Upon receiving her degree, Tigay hopes to provide support and guidance to women during the childbirth and child-rearing processes.
Ypsilanti:
Carrie Dworkin, American Association of University Women Scholar, is currently completing her degree in elementary education at the U-M. She completed her bachelor’s degree in multicultural studies, and along with her husband, Dworkin founded the Sphinx Organization, which promotes youth and minority involvement with classical music. The organization has brought young Black and Latino strings players to schools and communities across the country.
Beili Liu, Elsie Choy Lee Scholar, is working towards her fine arts degree in graphic design at the U-M, though her work reaches far beyond the conventional measures of “graphic design.” Often incorporating sculpture, sound, and other media, Liu seeks in her work to bridge the Eastern world of her native heritage with the Western world of her current experience. Liu is interested in the potential of mixed media and how it might translate the historical past into contemporary art.
Ellen Meader, Helen Huff Shell Scholar, is currently in her fifth year as a doctoral student at the U-M’s Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education. Meader has taught English in Taiwan, as well as at the University’s Intergroup Relations, Community and Conflict program. She is currently doing research on a project investigating the links between diversity and student learning. Her future plans include directing a comprehensive intergroup relations program on college campuses.
Eleanor Murphey, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in clinical psychology, researching the effects of expectation versus reality of immigration on psychological well-being. After earning her bachelor’s degree, Murphey worked as a protective caseworker in urban New York. This job helped her to see the impact of social and public policy on poor and immigrant families. She then returned to school to get her master’s degree. Murphey’s research has focused on factors contributing to life satisfaction in African-American men, and an exploration of the effects of family violence on youth.
Oluronke Ajibikje Soyombo, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, has worked for 20 years with the government of Nigeria in environmental policy, and chemical and hazardous waste management. After completing her Ph.D. in public and environmental health, Soyombo wants to work to achieve sustainable chemical use, especially in agriculture. Her experience in Nigeria has taught her that knowledge of chemical use in agriculture is especially important for Third World women and children, many of whom support themselves through farming and are exposed to hazardous pesticides.
ARIZONAScottsdale:
Dena S’hangmi Bai, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in industrial design. Bai plans to steer her work towards creating products for underrepresented groups—the Third World, the disabled, the aged, the poor, and others. Bai’s dedication to the community is evident in her volunteer history—she has worked with Food Not Bombs, Books to Prisoners, the Council Against Domestic Assault, and Ozone House, a center for homeless and runaway teens. Bai also started her own design label, Girl Hero, which produces female-positive prints on recycled clothing.
CALIFORNIALos Altos Hills:
Kathleen Serventi, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, is a third-year medical student, preparing to begin residency in an internal medicine/pediatrics program. She has previously worked for NASA in biomedical research, and has done neuroscience research for San Francisco State University. Overcoming the challenges of going to school in Michigan while her husband and four children stayed in California, Serventi has been able to reach academic excellence and serves as a role model to her children. Serventi’s focus in medical school is preventive medicine and community health awareness.
OREGONSalem:
Jeanette Rainey, Aline Underhill Orten Foundation Scholar, is pursuing her Ph.D. in epidemiology. Her research studies whether mosquito nets might be helpful towards slowing HIV progression in sub-Saharan Africa due to decreased resistance to malaria infections. Because access to HIV drugs is minimal in Africa and the disease is so devastating there, mosquito nets could provide an inexpensive means for promoting community health. In her experience as a volunteer for the Peace Corps in Chad, and her work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well for the California Department of Health Services, Rainey developed a comprehensive perspective of the public health practice.
PENNSYLVANIANorristown:
Kim Dorazio, Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar, is seeking her doctorate in political science with a focus on international practice. During her two-year stay in South Korea on a Fulbright Scholarship, Dorazio researched the country’s first democratic elections, presented seminars on American Culture, and taught English as a second language. She went on to teach in Japan, and later attend the University of London, where she received a master’s degree in Chinese studies with an emphasis on Chinese foreign policy.
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