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:
Kathryn Burns started position on the campaign team for U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada. Burns, a 2023 graduate in political science and Spanish, was an intern at the Catt Center, a participant in its multi-year undergraduate research project, and a Legacy of Heroines scholar.
Mariana Gonzalez started position as a digital associate on the campaign team for U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada. In this position, she will focus on bilingual digital content creation, implementing social strategy, and collaborating with other members of the digital department. Gonzalez, a 2023 graduate in political science and public relations, was an intern at the Catt Center, a participant in its multi-year undergraduate research project, and a 2022 Women Impacting ISU calendar honoree.
Carrie Ann Johnson, interim research and outreach coordinator for the center, co-authored the chapter “Social Support, Fathers, and Work: At Home and Outside of the Home” in the book “Communicating Fatherhood: New Directions in Theory, Research, and Education” with Iowa State Communications Studies Program colleagues Stacy Tye-Williams and Kelly G. Odenweller. The collaboration began with a study done in Tye-Williams’ qualitative methods course, ENGL 563A: Qualitative Research.
Mia Kawamitsu, a senior in journalism and mass communication and international studies, was selected as a 2024 Women Impacting ISU calendar honoree and as a member of the 2023 Cardinal Court. Kawamitsu is the recipient of the 2023-2024 Sharon and Alice Rodine Leadership and Advocacy Legacy of Heroines Scholarship.
Karen M. Kedrowski, center director, gave the following interviews and media appearances:
- Sept. 15: Nicole Grundmeier, Fearless, regarding the proposal to eliminate Iowa’s gender balance law as part of restructuring state boards and commissions
- Sept. 20: Skylar Tallal, WOI-TV, about former President Trump’s critique of six week abortion bans
- Sept. 26: Dana Searles, WOI-TV, on the upcoming Sept. 27 GOP presidential debate
- Sept. 27: WOI-TV, commentary on the 10 p.m. newscast about the GOP presidential debate
- Sept. 29: Lily Wasserman, Drake Political Review, on the history of the Iowa Caucuses
- Oct. 4: Iowa Public Radio’s River to River, to discuss the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy as the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial, and Hunter Biden’s arraignment
- Oct. 6: Connor Neal, WOI-TV, on Americans’ distrust of and exhaustion with U.S. politics
- Oct. 9: Connor Hendricks, KCRG-TV, regarding the impact of the vacant House speakership on the Israeli-Hamas war
- Oct. 10: Skylar Tallal, KCRG-TV, on Iowa’s trade relationship with Israel
- Oct. 23: Charity Nebbe, “Talk of Iowa,” about the feminist messages in the “Barbie” movie, as well as Iowa’s gender balance law (recorded Oct. 12)
- Oct. 24: Charity Nebbe, “Talk of Iowa,” about the feminist “waves” in the U.S. and globally (recorded October 18)
- Oct. 30: Dana Searles, WOI-TV, on Nikki Haley’s rise in the Iowa Poll and nationally
- Nov. 8: Response to Amée LaTour, The Hill, on who has the most at stake in the Republican presidential candidate debate that evening, and Skylar Tallal, WOI-TV, on Gov. Kim Reynolds’ decision to endorse Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president
- Nov. 9: Connor Neal, WOI-TV, about the GOP debate on Nov. 8.
Kedrowski also gave these presentations:
- Sept. 21: Speech on the history of the Equal Rights Amendment for Iowa State University’s annual Constitution Day lecture
- Oct. 14: Presentation on the women’s suffrage movement at the Iowa Society Daughters of the American Revolution forum in Des Moines
- Oct. 16: Session on the center’s ERA curriculum at the Iowa Council for the Social Studies annual conference in Iowa City
- Oct. 19: Discussion leader on “Tenure and Promotion” for the “Democracy in All Seasons, Every Season” workshop sponsored by the Faculty Network for Student Voting Rights (Zoom)
- Oct. 20: Discussion on pay equity at the AAUW Midwest Regional Conference in St. Louis
- Oct. 23: Guest lecture in the course POL S 501: Political Analysis and Research at Iowa State University
- Nov. 2: Speech on the Equal Rights Amendment at the Way Up! Conference in Des Moines
On Oct. 9, Kedrowski spoke with two high school students from Silver City, New Mexico, about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Seneca Falls Convention for their National History Day project. On Oct. 18, her guest column “A Look at First Ladies’ Influence on the ERA 100 Years Later” was published in East Wing Magazine.
Ann Lent is pursuing a Master of Arts in political science at Iowa State University and is serving as a teaching assistant for Amy Erica Smith, Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Professor, director of graduate education, and associate professor in the Department of Political Science.
Ashleigh O’Brien will be serving as a graduate teaching assistant next spring for the sociology program at The George Washington University, assisting with the course SOC 2170: Class and Inequality in American Society. O’Brien, a 2023 alumna in women’s and gender studies, was an intern at the Catt Center and a participant in its multi-year undergraduate research project.
Kelly Winfrey, interim director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program and associate professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, was a presenter at the Iowa Democratic Women’s Caucus workshop “Campaign 101: Join a Team. Make a Difference!” on Sept. 30 in Coon Rapids, Iowa. The workshop was for women of Iowa’s 3rd and 4th congressional districts who are interested in running for office, serving on local or county boards, or helping with a campaign.