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:
Madeline Becker, Catt Center graduate assistant, was named to the 2024 Cardinal Court. Members of the court are selected based on academic achievement, campus involvement, leadership, and their love for Iowa State. Becker is pursuing a concurrent bachelor’s and master’s degree in economics and second bachelor’s degree in political science.
Dianne Bystrom, director emerita, gave a presentation on Oct. 17 at the Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege, Nebraska, on “The Fight for the Right to Vote: It Still Matters” through her role as a speaker for Humanities Nebraska. Bystrom organized an Oct. 31 gathering of friends of the late Dr. Deborah Turner to mark the installation of the Plaza of Heroines paver for Dr. Turner and to share their memories of her. On Nov. 6, she was interviewed by Francine Kiefer of the Christian Science Monitor for a story on Kamala Harris titled: “A slap in the face: For many US women, Harris loss to Trump feels personal.” You can read the story here.
Carrie Ann Johnson, associate director of outreach and communication, and Kelly Winfrey, director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, participated in a panel presentation, “Reimagining Feminist Research Methods, Working Together Toward Feminist Goals,” on Oct. 18 at the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language & Gender.
Karen M. Kedrowski, center director, gave the following interviews and media appearances:
- Oct 8: Interview with Ryan Witry (KWWL) on Senator Grassley’s long career in politics
- Oct 10: Interview with Madelyn Zhurouel, a student at American Heritage School in Broward, Florida, about the 19th Amendment for her History Day project
- Oct. 10: Met with Daniel Marky and Anna Rogalska Hedlund, election observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
- Oct. 17: Participated in a panel discussion in Iowa State University’s Memorial Union for Iowa Public Radio’s River to River that was recorded and broadcast on Oct. 24
- Oct. 17: Interview with Dana Searles (WOI-TV) about Iowa’s Republican Party control of both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office and what it would take for that to change
- Oct. 23: Provided comments on the presidential candidates’ farm policies for Tim Kenyon (Iowa Farmer Today)
- Oct 25: Interview with the Daily Iowan regarding the gender gap among young voters
- Oct 28: Interview with Jason Clayworth (Axios Des Moines) about early voting and inactive voter rolls in Iowa
- Nov. 4: Dana Searles (WOI-TV) regarding the Iowa Poll released on Nov. 3
- Nov. 5: Provided election night commentary on Iowa Public Radio
- Nov. 6: Interviews with Jason Clayworth about key takeaways from the election and Roger Riley (WHO13) about political polling
- Nov. 11: Interview with Skylar Tallal (KGAN) about how the Iowa poll incorrectly measured support for Harris and Trump in Iowa.
Kedrowski also gave these presentations and workshops:
- Sept. 12: Presented Iowa State University’s 2024 Constitution Day lecture, “The History of Presidential Debates, 1960-Present,” in the Memorial Union
- Sept. 18: Guest lecturer in POLI 379 – Voters, Elections and Campaigns, a course at Bridgewater College taught by Bobbi Gentry, associate professor of political science
- Oct. 5: Presentation in Moline, Illinois on Carrie Chapman Catt to the Rock Island-Moline and Davenport-Bettendorf branches of the AAUW
- Oct 9: Led a Q&A session with Paul Houston, U.S. State Department, about diplomatic security careers
- Oct. 22 and 29 and Nov. 5: Led an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) course, “Rituals of American Democracy,” through the ISU Alumni Association
On Oct. 15, a book co-edited by Kedrowski, “The Palgrave Handbook of Fashion and Politics,” was published.
Kelly Shaw, teaching professor of political science, appeared on Iowa Public Radio’s River to River on Sept. 25 to discuss former President Trump’s threat to impose a 200% tariff on John Deere, Biden’s farewell address to the United Nations and attack ads from Iowa congressional candidates, and again on Oct. 23 to discuss Iowa’s congressional races and political conversations about the status of men in society.
Kelly Winfrey, director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, appeared on “Inside Iowa Politics” on Oct. 14 to discuss the ways that abortion laws are motivating women in both the Republican and Democratic parties.
Aliya Yanga, a sophomore in public relations and a 2024-2025 Kedrowski and Fitzgerald Family Legacy of Heroines scholar, was confirmed as a Student Government election commissioner at their Sept. 25 meeting. The Election Commission administers the Student Government elections each spring.