Maryland Journalism Professor Maurine Beasley says, "Women need to know their history to take charge of their lives." Here at the University of Maryland, women have played an important part of our history for nearly a century. Whether as students, faculty, staff or alumni, we are proud of their accomplishments.

Beasley knows something about making history herself, because she is the first woman to be become a full professor of Journalism at Maryland, as well as the first woman tenured in that college.

Many of the faculty members included in our accompanying expert's list look on Women's History Month as a way to "take stock," or as Richard Eaton Professor of Broadcast Journalism Lee Thornton says, "dwell, focus and meditate on the past as well as on what's to come."

"Women still labor under big disabilities that need correction," says Emerita Economics Professor Barbara Bergmann. She points to severe discrimination in the labor market as one prime example, along with the unfair sharing of housework by working couples and domestic violence.

Distinguished Professor of Sociology Harriet Presser says, "Women's contributions are often constrained by gender norms and institutions that limit educational and occupational opportunities." She adds, "We've come a long way but there is a long way still to go."

Professor Bonnie Thornton Dill, who is chair of the Women's Studies Department, says that the month provides an opportunity to focus on rewriting history to give a more comprehensive account of the impact women of color have had on our history. She says that their experiences have often been "ignored and distorted."

Fellow Women's Studies Professor Lynn Bolles adds that part of the problem is our country has a short memory. "It is important for people of all ages to remember the women, who directly or indirectly, made a difference in their lives by their actions as artists, scholars, teachers, policy makers or the person next door," she says.

Here at Maryland, we have ample examples of women who have made that difference, including M. Lucia James, Judith Resnik, Adele Stamp, Carmen Balthrop, Jane Cahill Pfeiffer, Alma Preinkert, Connie Chung, Debbie Yow, Cathleen Magee and many, many more.

On the following pages, we'd like to share what The Women of Maryland have done to distinguish themselves and their university. An expanded expert's list is also available, as is a resource guide for conducting research.

05031