March is Women’s History Month and students and faculty are celebrating the women in the world who have made a difference in the past, present and future.

Last night there was a campus worship celebrating the month, and on March 22, at 7 p.m., there will be a lecture presented by Adrienne Wing, a University of Iowa law professor, on “Critical Race Feminism” in Lekberg Hall.

Lora Friedrich, assistant professor of sociology and chair of the Woman’s Studies Department, said Women’s History Month has a rich tradition at Simpson.

“Lots of folks are involved in the planning and lots of different events happen in lots of different ways,” Friedrich said in an e-mail.

On March 22, the group Sophia, which promotes feminism, will be sponsoring a Take Back the Night rally with the purpose of unifying men, women and children in awareness of violence against women, children and families.

Susanne Gubanc, assistant professor of communications, is teaching Public Relations Advertising and Copywriting this semester, and the class is also doing its part for Women’s History Month. The class created posters promoting the month’s events, which were displayed in Dunn Library as part of their midterm grade.

Gubanc said several women interested in women’s studies critiqued the posters and chose which ones they wanted to use campus-wide. They also suggested the class use the posters for the bulletin board in the library.

“They liked them all so much that we decided to put them up in the library,” Gubanc said.

Students have had the opportunity to critique the posters as well and the class received more that 200 comments on the posters.

“Equality has seemed like a radical idea,” Friedrich said. “From where I stand, I believe that all feminists have asked for is the opportunity to be a shared partner in the shaping of society and social institutions. That means people, regardless of their reproductive paraphernalia, ethnic background or practice or the color of their skin should be treated alike. I think students are seeing this.”

Students are also aware of Women’s History Month, like senior Becka Neary.

“With the addition of a women’s studies minor as well as the Minority Perspective Cornerstone, there has been more awareness to Women’s History Month, but I think there could be more attendance,” Neary said. “It has grown, but there is still a lot more room for it to expand.”