April 13, 2006

Workshops for girls on astronomy, filmmaking, sports, more

For the 12th consecutive year, Northwestern will participate in “Take Our Daughters to Work Day” Thursday, April 27, on the Evanston and Chicago campuses.

The emphasis will continue to be on science, math and technology and the related career options open to women in these fields.

Last year 300 girls, aged 9 to 16, participated in Northwestern’s observance of the Ms. Foundation-sponsored event. About the same number are expected to attend this year.

The annual program offers girls an opportunity to witness women participating in a wide variety of career and occupational endeavors.

Participants can choose from 14 tour tracks in Evanston and eight tour tracks in Chicago.

The Take Our Daughters to Work Day Committee has added new workshop sites and career topics to the schedule, which includes many events similar to those in past years.

New Evanston campus workshops will be offered on audiology, entrepreneurship and virtual television, in addition to one on solar cars that will be held at the new Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center.

Other Evanston campus workshop topics include astronomy, business, chemistry, disability services, filmmaking, fitness, health care, journalism, marketing, mechanical engineering, physics, science, sports, storytelling and student activism.

New Chicago campus workshops include a presentation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and another by a Chicago Tribune reporter. Chicago campus workshops also will focus on emergency room procedures, law, nutrition and physical therapy.

The creation of “Take Our Daughters to Work Day” was intended to help girls focus on what they can accomplish rather than on how they look. Witnessing women in a variety of roles can help girls develop self-confidence in academic and career pursuits.

Staff and faculty members who would like to sponsor a daughter, granddaughter, niece, neighbor or young friend must complete a registration form for either the Chicago or Evanston campus

A postcard notifying staff and faculty that registration has begun will be sent via campus mail and direct staff and faculty members to the Women’s Center Web site. For detailed information about this year’s scheduled tour tracks for both campuses and/or registration forms for the April 27 event, go to www.northwestern.edu/womencenter.

The registration deadline is April 20. A fee of $10 per person in the form of a personal check or money order payable to Northwestern must be received by April 20. Late registrants must add an extra $5.

For more information, contact Renée Redd on the Evanston campus at (847) 491-2733 or (847) 491-7360 or Elisabeth Lindsay-Ryan on the Chicago campus at (312) 503-3401 or (312) 503-3400.

This year’s event is cosponsored by the Take Our Daughters to Work Day Committee, the Women’s Center and the Association of Northwestern University Women (ANUW) and is officially endorsed by the Northwestern administration.

Support is provided by the Office of the President, Office of the Senior Vice President for Business and Finance, the Provost’s Office, Kellogg School of Management, Office of Change Management, Information Technology and Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office.