August 26th marked the 95th anniversary of the American woman’s right to vote, which was passed in 1920.
As we ponder about all the wonderful things that women have accomplished within society over the years, a few things come to mind. Did female activists Susan B. Anthony even dream of the possibility of a female candidate as the President of the United States? Did civil rights activists Rosa Parks dream that we would have the chance to pursue a college education? Did Barbara Walters and Oprah Winfrey believe that we could obtain careers in fields that are tailored for men?
The Multicultural Student Council (MSC) at Winthrop University is an organization that provides the student body an opportunity to participate in events that promotes diversity awareness on campus.
Amandine Farrugia, a graduate finance and accounting student at Winthrop, believes that Women’s Equality Day is a wonderful day to celebrate our gender’s right to vote and that it is important for women to be recognized.
“I think this is a great celebration for women but there is still work to be done,” Farrugia said. “We are still not as equal as men. For example the pay parity with men won’t reach until 2058 according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Also women account for only 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs. I do also understand that all those changes take time. We are definitely moving towards a good direction.”
Farrugia believes that she is capable of empowering others by leading by example. She said that in order to do this, students should start by making good grades in school and also join a student organization that puts one out of his/her comfort zone.
“I believe in myself and the things I can do,” Farrugia said. “I never take no for an answer. I like to work with students and be involved in organizations because we can help each other grow and fulfill our potential. I would not be where I am today and do the things that I do without the help of others.”
Malyn Pope is a senior psychology major at Winthrop University. Like Farrugia, she is also a member of MSC where she serves as the vice president of real conversations within the organization.
“I think that since so many people fought and protested for the right to vote it should recognized and celebrated,” Pope said. “Even if a woman did have the highest political position in this nation, there are still a lot of areas that need more inclusion of women as participants.”
Pope said that by having programs in MSC where members talk about issues that women face, the organization has been able to successfully empower students at Winthrop.
“We reassure people that they are good enough to pursue the career paths that they want and are able to put in the work to accomplish it,” Pope said. “Having conversations about our experiences and issues within our community helps young women feel inspired to do better.”
Pope also stated that she believes women are sometimes treated unfairly in the work force and that there should be an end to it since women make the same amount of money in some career fields.
“I think that these unfair areas could be improved with more dynamic training and policy that ensures real consequences for the persistence of these problems.”
Happy 95th Anniversary, ladies!