Hey all,

Well, it's been a little more than a little while, but with good reason!  I've got a few exciting updates to share and some great stuff coming up.  First, the title of this blog is a reference to the one and only Lesley Gore's fantastic song "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows"--a true classic that you can enjoy here  (offsite link, entirely PG).

This weekend, the Central Pennsylvania Consortium of Women's Studies Departments is hosting its annual conference.  This year's theme is Women and Higher Education, with keynote speaker Faye Wattleton.  I'm looking forward to connecting with colleagues and students and presenting a paper on the National Women's Studies Association conference I attended last November.  More details on the CPC conference can be found here .

Just before the college's spring break, the Women's Center hosted two major accomplishments.  First was a College Advancement partnership conference, called A Legacy of Success, that brought several alumnae, Trustees, and College community members together to celebrate and reflect upon where we've been and where we have yet to go in accomplishments for Dickinson women.  View the article covering the event here .  

And, on the following day, as a result of an ongoing collaborative relationship with campus-based, local, and regional partners, Dickinson submitted a grant application to the Department of Justice's Office of Violence Against Women Campus Grant Program to end dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.  This is an incredible step forward in our campus process.  The grant, if awarded, would provide for a three-year, Violence Prevention Coordinator position on campus, to coordinate enhanced prevention and response training and programs. 

Even if the grant is not awarded, the process has been incredibly helpful for enriching our on- and off-campus partnerships and developing short- and long-term goals for violence prevention work.  Deepest thanks to all of the students, faculty, administrators, staff, and community partners who made this possible.  I would love to keep collaborating to ensure this work continues for the long-term; please email me at bartlows@dickinson.edu if you're interested in getting involved in violence prevention and/or response.  In April, the Assault and Sexuality Coalition will be meeting to develop a Plan B so we can work toward the grant's goals even if we don't get the funding.

Over spring break, I participated in an Alternative Spring Break trip to the Tohono O'Odham reservation  in southwest Arizona and returned with a renewed appreciation for our amazing students and the value of hard work--especially when it's community-based, local action.

In that spirit, the Women's Center is working on:

--finalizing a booklist for a library display during Sexual Assault Awareness Month

--finalizing plans for SAAM activities

--developing early plans for sexual assault prevention orientation program for fall 2010

--finalizing edits to an LGBT safe space program for student residential staff

--student recommendation letters

--developing volunteer internship job descriptions

--developing graduate assistant job description

--lots and lots of email!

 I'd love to hear your thoughts and hopes for next year.  More soon!

 Be well,

Susannah