As the chilly, freezing temperatures settled in St. Peter, some Gustavus students were back on campus for J-term (January Interim Experience). J-term is a month-long session where students are only required to take one class. American Popular Music, Horror Films, and Digital Storytelling were among the variety of classes to choose from. During our four years at Gustavus, we are required to take two J-terms. Because I am a sophomore, I took my second J-term, called Nobel Women Leadership.
Nobel Women Leadership was taught by Professor Maureen Reed from the University of Minnesota. In the class, we learned about four main Nobel Peace Prize laureates, who have deeply embodied feminism by working to create peaceful change and liberation, setting an example for the rest of the world. Leymah Gbowee, Aung San Suu Kyi, Mother Teresa, and Malala Yousafzai were the women we focused on. Their resilient spirits motivated them to spark movements that uplifted their downtrodden people in hopes of a better future. After finishing my first week, I already knew this was one of the best classes I had taken in my academic career.
I appreciated the discussion-driven environment where we talked about empowering feminist topics. Instead of simply sitting at a desk and taking notes, we were encouraged to participate by speaking out about our views. I enjoyed this because it allowed me to critically think about what it means to be woman in other parts of the world. Aside from wage inequality and sexual harassment in the workplace here in America, I learned about the life-threatening situations these women from Liberia, Myanmar, India, and Pakistan face. It was courageous and noble how they were able to stand up against oppressive governments, considering a woman’s voice was often overlooked in society.
I also learned that to make an impactful change, they had to get additional women on board for active collaboration. A movement does not thrive with one person at the helm, but rather with a group of people working toward a common goal.
We also discussed the components for successful leadership, hitting on what makes a female leader influential and stand out from the rest. This class was beneficial because I can apply these lessons to my life. I have started to recognize ways I can take initiative dealing with my personal hurdles, and becoming a leader in my own right.
As women in the 21st century, we are still fighting discrimination every day, and it is our obligation to fight on behalf of the future generation, so our daughters can have better opportunities. By understanding how these Nobel Peace Prize winners accomplished their goals, it has given me the strength to fight for the common good as a woman.