Society works for gender equality

The Athena Society is a newly founded organization of Norwich staff, faculty and students all aiming for one goal: to bring awareness of gender equality to the Norwich community, according to the newly appointed director, Dr. Wendy Fuller.

Fuller, a visiting professor in the sociology and justice department, is trying to raise awareness of the society and get more students involved.

"It is also geared to open discussion and dialogue," said Fuller.

The Athena Society was created in 2008 by Elizabeth Meyer, who has since left Norwich. Fuller took over the Athena Society at the start of this year.

"We are doing some outreach to students, and there is a group called B.A.M.F., which stands for ‘Being A Motivated Female,' and we are hoping to build a relationship with that student lead group," said Fuller.

The Athena Society meets once a month; its next meeting is Nov. 10 in WCC room 218 at 1200. Fuller is encouraging anyone to attend these meetings, as they are open to the entire student body.

The Athena Society hopes to screen a movie appropriate to its cause this year.

"We held two events last year. In the autumn we held an event on gender in the workplace, we had a panel of about three to four people. We had the head of Burlington PD, we had a male nurse from Burlington, and we had Lt. Lisa Blachford, who is the head of the Navy ROTC at Norwich," Fuller said.

The school does not fund the Athena Society. It can apply for grants, and during the events they held last year, various departments all pitched in to bring the speakers to the campus, said Fuller.

Fuller is trying to hold a fundraiser this year to help with the funding and to get more events at Norwich.

"I think that equality of genders should be prevalent," said Joey Palmer, an 18-year-old sophomore criminal justice major from Double Springs, Ala. "Just because they are females doesn't mean that they can't do what men do. I think that it is good to have on campus, seeing as it is not just a guy's school."