Biola begins Women’s History Month with celebrations that will be held throughout March. In partnership with the Committee on Women, the library will have an exposition on the first floor to showcase the “academic and literary contributions of female Biola professors and/or alumnae,” according to the event page. 

CELEBRATIONS

For Women’s History Month, students, staff and faculty can attend chapel on March 27, with Dr. Carmen Imes, professor of Old Testament as the speaker. Following the chapel, Biola will host its annual Women’s History Month luncheon. Attendees can expect multiple speakers, including Imes; Tamra Malone, chief diversity officer of the division of diversity and inclusion; Sandy Hough, dean of community life and Paula Tkach, vice president of finance. 

On March 29, Biola will also welcome students, staff and faculty to attend an outdoor vendor fair. This fair will demonstrate the diverse talents of the women at Biola. Women part of the Biola community can showcase their music or businesses as well as sell their art, crafts or other goods. Women interested in taking part in the vendor fair must fill out the vendor form to participate. 

HISTORY OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

As Biola honors women, the university participates in a long-standing celebration. Though it first started as National Women’s Day in 1911, it later turned into a month of recognition for women. A local city, Santa Rosa, California, was the first to honor women with a week of celebrations before Women’s History Month was declared. In 1980, Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, declared the week of March 8 to be National Women’s History Week. In 1987, Congress declared all of March to be Women’s History Month. From there, every president has annually proclaimed that March is Women’s History Month. 

“Now, therefore, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2023 as Women’s History Month,” said President Joe Biden in a presidential action published by the White House. “I call upon all Americans to observe this month and to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023, with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.”