The Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics is pleased to recognize the accomplishments and activities of its faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters:
Dianne Bystrom, director, gave the keynote address at the annual State of the State luncheon sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Illinois as a fund-raiser for its education fund on Sept. 16. She presented “Looking Back, Looking Forward: The Impact of Women on the ‘State of our State’” to an audience of some 200 people gathered at the Union League Club of Chicago. Bystrom also gave a presentation on “Count Yourself In: How Women Can Influence Public Policy and Effect Change” at the state convention of the Business and Professional Women of Iowa on Oct. 3 in Des Moines. On Oct. 14, Bystrom presented “Women in Leadership: Why it Matters” as part of the Business Record’s Power Breakfast Series in Des Moines.
Elli Rigolle, senior in political science with a minor in French, was selected by the Department of Political Science undergraduate committee to serve as a delegate at this year’s Student Conference on U.S. Affairs on Nov. 4-7 in West Point, New York, at the U.S. Military Academy. She was assigned to the North America roundtable at the conference, which focused on developing policy responses to inequality as it pertains to gender, race and class in the United States. Rigolle worked with leaders in the foreign affairs field, heard a keynote address by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and worked with her roundtable to develop policy responses. Rigolle is from Johnston, Iowa, and is the center’s 2015-2016 Sharon Rodine Leadership and Advocacy intern.
Lissa Villa, senior in political science and journalism and mass communication, accepted an internship at the Des Moines Register. Starting on Nov. 13 and continuing through the spring semester, Villa will cover the police and public safety as well as some political reporting. Villa has been an Elverna Christian Legacy of Heroines scholar since 2013 and was the Catt Center’s Archives of Women’s Political Communication intern from 2014-2015. She is from Webster City, Iowa.