Friday, March 8th is an important day to mark on our calendars this year. No, it’s not just because it marks the beginning of spring break, but rather because it highlights a holiday Her Campus is meant to be excited about: International Women’s Day. This is a day for celebrating the empowerment of women everywhere, past and present. And speaking of powerful women, American University has had some important names grace these halls. In honor of International Women’s Day, let’s check out some female wonks by which we can all be inspired:
1. Alice Paul
It’s been nearly 100 years since the legendary women’s rights pioneer graduated from American University’s Washington College of Law, where she drafted the original Equal Rights Amendment while as a student here. Thanks to women like her, the Nineteenth Amendment was passed in 1920, and has thus given women the right to vote for who represents them in government. As most of us know, AU is the nation’s most politically active university in the country, so maybe we should give a little thank you to the people like Alice who helped us to project our voices.
2. Muriel Bowser
Muriel Bowser is D.C.’s current mayor and its first female mayor to ever be re-elected for a second term. She graduated from AU in 2000, earning her Master’s in Public Policy, and was first elected as Washington D.C.’s mayor in 2015. As per the D.C. government website, “the Bowser Administration remains focused on making DC’s prosperity more inclusive, advancing DC values, and building safer, stronger, and healthier neighborhoods across all eight wards of the District”.
3. Nancy Meyers
Nancy Meyers graduated from American University in 1972, and she’s written, directed, and produced some of our favorite movies, like The Parent Trap, The Holiday, and The Intern, just to name a few. She’s living the kind of dream life that most of the School of Communication students are angling to achieve, and I know I won’t be the only one from Her Campus lining up to see her next film.
4. Judy Sheindlin (Judge Judy!)
Everybody’s favorite T.V. judge got her start here at American University, where she graduated in 1963 with a degree in government. She’s had a successful television career on her Emmy-winning show, which has been going strong since 1996.
There have been plenty of other notable female alumni who have all gotten their start from AU, such as Goldie Hawn, Star Jones, and Alysin Camerota. There have been more, and there will be more to come, but the list would get a little long if we tried to add everyone. Here’s to celebrating International Women’s Day!