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Six Lafayette students – five of them double majors — will present their research at the ninth annual Undergraduate Women’s Studies Conference 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday in the Marlo Room of Farinon College Center.
Sponsored by the Women’s Studies Coalition of the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges, the event also will include presentations by students from Lehigh, Muhlenberg, Moravian, Cedar Crest, DeSales, and Albright.
The conference is open to the public. Registration costs $10 and includes a buffet lunch. For more information, call Elizabeth McMahon, professor of mathematics and site coordinator for the conference, at 610-330-5274.
“Students will get to see Women’s Studies work done by others,” says McMahon. “Most of the papers were not written explicitly for Women’s Studies courses, so attendees will see how they can research and write about very interesting topics related to women in almost any course they take.”
“The range of topics being presented is pretty broad,” she adds. “Some of the papers are historical, some look at literature through feminist eyes, and some look at research on women.”
The following Lafayette students will share their research:
Amanda Roth ’04, a double major in philosophy andwomen’s studiesfrom Easton, Pa. — “Femininity, Sports, and Feminism: Developing a Theory of Physical Liberation.”
Vivienne Felix ’03, a double major in English and International Affairs from Hollis, N.Y., with Kamaka Martin ’04, a history and government & law major from Brooklyn, N.Y., and Roth — “We Were Pioneers: Using Oral History to Document the First Coeducation Classes of Lafayette College; (see related story)”
Megan Caufield ’03, a double major in history and government & law from Massena, N.Y. — “Pro-Feminist Men and Their Uses of Legalistic Language in the Early Women’s Rights Movement; (see related story.)
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Suzanne Montgomery ’03, a double major in psychology and English from Thornton, Pa. — “College Teaching Styles and Student Ratings: Effects of Gender and Divisional Affiliation;”
Kristin Pontoski ’03, a double major in English and psychology from Willow Grove, Pa. — “The Conflict Between Feminism and Male Domination in The Blithedale Romance and A Long Fatal Love Chase.”
All of the Lafayette students have conducted their research either in collaboration with faculty or independently under the close guidance of professors. Caufield, for example, is undertaking her study in pursuit of departmental honors in history with supervision by Deborah Rosen, associate professor of history.
“The study of the women’s movement has focused on female leaders,” says Caufield. “While men and women were working for the same cause, the male arguments seemed to focus more on the legal and constitutional reasons for an expansion of women’s rights,” she says. “I am attempting to show the importance of the men’s different approach to the women’s rights struggle in early America.”
Caufield presented her findings earlier this month at the 17th Annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Salt Lake City, Utah.
“I’m glad to be working with Professor Rosen because she has so much knowledge about the women’s rights movement, and she has really helped me communicate my thoughts on this subject,” she says.
“Lafayette is good for projects like this because the professors are so knowledgeable. They really do care about their students being able to explore areas that interest them,” she adds.
A member of College Democrats and Alpha Phi sorority, Caufield has served on Residence Hall Council and the Family Weekend Committee.