Northwest celebrates Women's History Month

March is Women's History Month, and students at Northwest Missouri State University are holding  variety of events to celebrate what some occasionally refer to as her-story month.

Each year, the university's focus changes to highlight various aspects of the impact women have had on society, culture, science, literature, politics and other areas of endeavor.

For 2013, the theme is "Women inspiring innovation through imagination: Celebrating women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics."

The STEM focus is fitting since Northwest alumna Jean Jennings Bartik was one of a team of women who helped program ENIAC, considered the world's first electronic computer.

An exhibit featuring pictures and artifacts from Bartik's life is currently on display on the second floor of the B.D. Owens Library on campus. It was created by Northwest Archives interns Brett Crumbaugh and Shannon Wohl and will remain on exhibit through the end of the month.

Other Women's History Month events have been organized by Elyssa Ford, assistant professor of history, and Michelle Wade, assistant professor of political science.

Ford said the university has been working to make the events more accessible to both students and the community.

"We've worked hard the last few years to make these events something that people want to attend," Ford said. "And that's not just students coming to them, but students helping with them."

The Bartik display is one example of that, as was a centennial celebration held March 3 that paid tribute to Maryville native Alma Nash, who directed an all-woman band during a 1913 women's suffrage parade in Washington, D.C.

Upcoming events include a showing tonight and March 18 of "Top Secret Rosies," a documentary telling the story of Bartik and other women mathematicians in World War II.

Bartik went on to become one of six women chosen to program ENIAC. She maintained strong ties to Northwest until her death in 2011.

There will be a book discussion on March 19 about "Kabul Beauty School" by Deborah Rodriguez, which looks at the development of a beauty school for women in Afghanistan.

"This brings in an international perspective," Ford said. "It shows a different view of women and how they are treated in other countries."

The discussion will explore the position of women in Afghanistan, the problems they face and how access to training and jobs have created change.

The hope, Ford said, is that people who attend the events will realize how women have contributed to STEM fields over the years.

"I think that this is something that is really good for getting students and the community involved," Ford said.

All of the events are free and open to the public.