Who Inspires You?

Inside interns Alicia David, Grace Lee and Kristina Junio asked female faculty members, staff and students who they admire and why.

March 7, 2007

 

Carole Angus, administrative support coordinator, American Studies and Comparative Religion: “Oprah Winfrey because she is a great example of what you can do regardless of your background, and she does a tremendous amount with the money that she makes."

Renae Bredin, coordinator and associate professor of women’s studies: “Bette Davis inspires me because she did things her way. She fought the system and beat it during a time when women weren’t independent. She’s just a great actress and she had no fear."

Rebecca Dolhinow, assistant professor of women’s studies: “I’m inspired by all the women no one hears about. All the women who aren’t famous but should be, the women on whose shoulders the world goes round and whose work supports us. All the women who do so much work and don’t get credit for it. Those women inspire me because they work hard everyday and keep doing it."

Natalie M. Fousekis, assistant professor of history: “I have two women who inspire me — one past, one present. Both are politicians. In 1944, voters in Los Angeles elected Helen Gahagan Douglas to the U.S. House of Representatives. She served her L.A. district until 1950 when she lost a race for U.S. Senate in 1950 to Richard Nixon. What I admire most about Douglas was her political courage. She fought for women’s rights and civil rights at a time when there were very few voices nationally speaking for these issues. The other woman who inspires me is U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA). It was Boxer’s stance on women’s issues in the early 1990s, when I worked briefly as a member of her staff in the U.S. House of Representatives, that moved me to study women’s political history in graduate school. Boxer’s fighting spirit made me want to investigate the women who preceded her in the public realm, both on the grassroots and state-political level."

Cindy Smith Greenberg, associate professor of nursing: “One woman who has inspired me is Florence Nightingale, best known for founding the nursing profession. I admire that she was an extremely intelligent woman who was very forward thinking in her approach to management of health, as she looked at what outcomes were achieved and used statistics and graphs to make her arguments, a unique approach during her era. I admire that she followed her dreams and passion in the face of family and societal opposition and tried to make the world a better place. In looking at the legacy that Florence Nightingale left, she definitely had a positive impact on health care and society."

Helen Jaskoski, emeritus professor of English and comparative literature: “I would say that the most inspiring women to me these days are the women, not many, who have received the Nobel Peace Prize. I know most about the most recent recipients, especially Rigoberta Menchu, whose autobiography was a text in one of my courses, Aung San Suu Kyi who in spite of being elected president is still in house arrest in Burma and Wangari Maathai who inspired me to begin a native plant garden. I don’t always share all of their values, either, as is the case with Mother Teresa. However, I think it’s worth knowing something about all of these women."

Sharon Jeon, junior art major: “I'm most inspired by my grandmother because you become peaceful just by looking at her. She knows how to handle things with peace. She perseveres through life because she's been through so much in her lifetime. She's diligent in all that she does."

Carolyn Johnson, associate professor of communications: “I'd have to say one woman who inspired me was my plain, ole high school English teacher — no great author, actress, politician or anything else. I and a number of other high school students admired her — an intellect, young, confident. She was evidence that a young woman could have a career. Remember: We were all farm girls from Minnesota! And, my mother was a driving force who encouraged and just expected that I would go on to college."

Ellen Junn, associate dean of the College of Health and Human Development: “Some women whose work I admire are scientists and social scientists — women who weren’t afraid to ask difficult questions and collect data to understand the issues at a deeper level of study. The scientists: Eleanor Maccoby was at Stanford, studied gender differences; Carol Gilligan (Harvard, adolescent girls); Jane Goodall (chimps and tool use/social behavior); and Margaret Mead. I also admire activists, fearless women who took strong positions on difficult social issues to improve social conditions for all: Margaret Sanger, Marian Wright Edelman and Eleanor Roosevelt. And, I admire the writers Betty Friedan, Toni Morrison and Amy Tan, who opened the eyes of the public to the complex and cultural issues surrounding oppression and discrimination via the medium of literature and the arts."

Margaret Kidd, assistant professor of mathematics: “Although there are many and I am lucky to have so many female friends, I think I have to say it was my mother. My mother, who died of cancer in 1973, has been my guide as I go through life. She was a homemaker and mother as that was the accepted lifestyle for women of her generation.  However, within the confines, she did amazing things. Although she did not work, she did many things for many people. If I were to select one, it would be the cancer counseling she did in our town. This was long before the networks that we have now.  After she had her mastectomy, the local hospital would call her and ask if she would talk with other women who were going through what she had. She would call them on the phone and offer an ear and suggestions to get through the difficult times. In effect, she started a lot of the networking and counseling that is going on now, although she did it quietly and was not recognized for it. The most important thing she taught me was to be sensitive to other's needs and to take the time to listen to them, giving advice when needed and using tough love when needed. She also taught me to be honest and kind to people.  The older I get the more I feel her influence in my life and the more I seem to be like her."

Debra Noble, assistant professor of theatre and dance: “There are so many wonderful women who have influenced my life but one stands out. I was greatly inspired by dancing for Anna Sokolow. Working under her direction helped me to experience the ‘truth’ of being an artist. Anna Sokolow was a modern dancer and choreographer born in 1910 and died in 2000. She was an artist of uncompromising integrity. Her work focused on the alienation of modern urban life, but was tempered by her belief in the strength of our human spirit. Her choreography inspired audiences to reflect about themselves and their society. Her 1955 group work  ‘Rooms’ reveals the isolation of modern city dwellers and her 1961 ‘Dreams,’ which deals with the terror and hopelessness inspired by the Holocaust, are both still relevant today. A quote from Anna I especially enjoy is ‘I danced because I wanted to say something.’ Her voice still speaks to me and to generations of dancers.”

Lorraine Prinsky, emeritus professor of sociology: “The women who inspire me are not celebrities, lawmakers, academicians or anyone well known and this may not be interesting to your readers. The women who inspire me are extraordinary people who live fairly ordinary lives. They are professional women who have very full lives and I am fortunate to have as friends several of these women. These are women with challenging careers and families who seem to have boundless energy. Sandi is a child psychologist who recently decided to become a docent at the local wetlands. ‘Why wait to retire to do this?’ she asks. Debbie is a pharmacist who is a natural leader and organizer; active in her synagogue and one of the most compassionate people I have ever met. Barbara is now retired from her job in the field of public health and she is always on the go, looking for new challenges, new books to read, places to go… she is never bored or boring. Toni is a former teacher who volunteers at the senior center, a local environmental organization and at a high school and manages to keep up with two book clubs. I've given you a very short summary of four women I find remarkable and inspiring.”

Joanna Roche, associate professor of art: “My inspiration is the Italian scholar Laura Bassi, who was the first female professor who lived during the Renaissance. Not only did she have a position at the oldest and most prestigious university in Italy, but she also was a mother and author.”

Jeanette Reedy Solano, assistant professor of comparative religion: “Aimee Semple McPherson, the founder of the Foursquare Gospel Church. She’s amazingly independent.  She was the first woman to drive across the U.S. in a car by herself. She followed the beat of her own drummer. She did things she was told women couldn’t do.”

Jennifer Thigpen, lecturer of American studies: “I have been inspired by many people. Some of them have been famous but most of them might be considered ordinary — regular people who have lived their lives in an extraordinary way. Mostly, I am inspired by people who tell the truth, especially when it would be easier to keep silent. I am inspired by people who act on their beliefs even when those beliefs are unpopular. I am inspired by those who live their lives in accordance with their convictions, who live with integrity, even when there is a cost to living in such a manner."