What DifferenceCan I Make?

MAY/JUNE 2013 Rs. 20

confidencewomen

theater

sports networking

community

contactsgender-based

aspirationsmisperceptions

violence

STEMbusiness

technology

visionattitudecareerinnovation

profession

engineeringequality

opportunity

role model

leadership

diversity

multitasking support

entrepreneurs

nurture

family

partnership

dreams

science mind-sets

empowerment

creativity

technology

courage

politics

positivechildren

research

science

inspire

mathematicsachievements

culture

balance

mentorship

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Z Right: Special AdviserZeenat Rahman interacts

with students as they workon bottle gardens as part of

an Earth Day event in Kolkata.

Below right: SpecialAdviser Rahman tries herhand at Indian folk musicat an event organized byBanglanatak dot com, a

nongovernmentalorganization, in Kolkata.

Below right: ManjuDhasmana, community

affairs manager forMicrosoft India (from left),

Special Adviser Rahmanand Arun Rajamani, head,

public sector and educationat Microsoft India, at the

launch of the Innovate forGood event in New Delhi.

The program enables youthto use technology to make

a difference in theircommunities.

Below right: SrikantSuryanarayan with Special

Adviser Rahman during ameeting of the

Confederation of IndianIndustries Young Indians

in Mumbai.Below right: Special

Adviser Rahman meetsmembers of the youth wing

of the Bharatiya JanataParty in New Delhi.

The Office of GlobalYouth Issues is a

reaction to thedemographic and

economic realitiesthat face all of usaround the world

that youth are a burgeoning

population,particularly in thedeveloping world,

and they are goingto play a

prominent role inshaping our 21st

century world.

eenat Rahman, SpecialAdviser to the U.S.Secretary of State forGlobal Youth Issues,traveled to Kolkata,Mumbai and New Delhi inApril to meet with younginnovators and expandpeople-to-people tiesbetween the United Statesand India. The Office ofGlobal Youth Issues worksto promote development,peace and stability byempowering youtheconomically, politicallyand socially around theworld.

Through a variety ofmechanisms, includingprivate sector partnerships,and cooperation with anextensive network of over50 Youth Councilsworldwide, the officeamplifies youth issues andsupports youth-drivensolutions to many of theworld’s most pressingproblems.http://www.state.gov/j/gyi

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Watch an interview withSpecial Adviser Zeenat

Rahman on SPAN’sYouTube channel at

http://goo.gl/eE0Wm

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May/June 2013

VOLUME L IV NUMBER 3

Published by the Public Affairs Section, American Center, 24 Kasturba GandhiMarg, New Delhi 110001 (phone: 23472000), on behalf of the U.S. Embassy,New Delhi. Printed at Thomson Press India Limited, 18/35, Delhi Mathura Road,Faridabad, Haryana 121007. Opinions expressed in this 44-page magazine do notnecessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Government.

Articles with a star may be reprinted with permission. Those without a star are copyrighted and may not be reprinted.Contact SPAN at 011-23472135 or editorspan@state.gov

PPuubblliisshheerr Walter T. Douglas EEddiittoorr iinn CChhiieeff Adele E. RuppeEEddiittoorr Deepanjali Kakati AAssssoocciiaattee EEddiittoorr Richa Varma HHiinnddii EEddiittoorr Giriraj AgarwalUUrrdduu EEddiittoorr Syed Sulaiman Akhtar CCooppyy EEddiittoorr Shah Md. Tahsin Usmani EEddiittoorriiaall AAssssiissttaanntt Yugesh Mathur

AArrtt DDiirreeccttoorr Hemant Bhatnagar DDeeppuuttyy AArrtt DDiirreeccttoorrss Qasim Raza, Shah Faisal Khan WWeebb MMaannaaggeerr Chetna KheraPPrroodduuccttiioonn//CCiirrccuullaattiioonn MMaannaaggeerr Alok Kaushik PPrriinnttiinngg AAssssiissttaanntt Manish GandhiRReesseeaarrcchh SSeerrvviicceess Bureau of International Information Programs, The American Library

Front cover: Graphic by Hemant Bhatnagar. Photograph © Getty Images.

In a statement on InternationalWomen’s Day in March,President Barack Obama said,

“Empowering women isn’t just the right thing todo—it’s the smart thing to do. When womensucceed, nations are more safe, more secure, andmore prosperous. Over the last year, we’ve seenwomen and girls inspiring communities and entirecountries to stand up for freedom and justice, and I’mproud of my Administration’s efforts to promotegender equality worldwide.”

Indeed, the process of promoting women’seconomic empowerment and political participation,preventing gender-based violence and providing equalopportunities is an ongoing one.

This issue of SPAN explores some areas wherechanging mind-sets, practical guidance and mentor-ship have helped women explore their potential. Wedecided to not just talk about the larger issues but toalso take a look at the women who have made adifference. From entrepreneurs, scientists and politi-cians to activists and athletes, these pathbreakersare showing other women how to step forward totake leadership roles, change misperceptions and usethe many tools available to chart their own course.

These role models also remind us that whilenations across the world work to empower womenand girls, we must not forget the power of an individ-ual to be a catalyst for change. It can happen with aparent saying it is as important for their daughter toparticipate in sports as their son, with a husbandsharing household responsibilities so that his wife canpursue a career, with a teacher reiterating thatproficiency in science and math is not determined bygender, with one member of a community speakingup when a woman’s right to dignity and safety ischallenged, or just anyone simply motivating othersthrough the work they do.

If the articles in this issue inspire you, please writeand tell us how you think you can make a differenceand promote change in your community. We arealways interested in your views. This is a topic onwhich we hope to continue a dialogue with ourreaders. You can reach us at editorspan@state.gov.

For notification of new content, write to: ezinespan@state.govhttp://span.state.gov

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22 The Power of Half the SkyBy Under Secretary Tara Sonenshine

44 Women @ Work

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Succeeding in Graduate School in America By Don Martin and Wesley Teter

The Game-CChanger for GirlsBy Jane Varner Malhotra

Winning Votes and Leading Communities By Michael Gallant

2277 Reimagining Women Through TheaterBy Michael Gallant

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Walking the Balance BeamBy Anne Walls

99 Taking Back the Night By Carrie Loewenthal Massey

1122 Want to Change the World? By Carrie Loewenthal Massey

1166 Women Entrepreneurs Mean Business By Steve Fox

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The Virtual Middle Class Rises By Thomas L. Friedman

An Alaskan Treat By Steve Fox

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Anthropologist Margaret Mead once said,“Never doubt that a small group ofthoughtful, committed citizens can changethe world; indeed, it’s the only thing thatever has.”

India reflects the spirit of thoughtful, committedwomen who, working together, will build a strongdemocratic nation contributing to the global economy.The women I have met, beginning with India’sAmbassador Nirupama Rao in Washington, are full ofpassion, political savvy, and principle.

At our American Center in New Delhi, the youngwomen I met with were filled with questions aboutmany timely subjects, including the difficult subject ofgender based violence in India. They wanted to learnfrom American experiences how they could work todevelop a society where women can live and workfreely, without fear of discrimination or violence.

I met with an Indian woman writer who works onthe literary festival which brings together the best andthe brightest of India’s cultural community. I also metwomen entrepreneurs, scientists at TERI University,bloggers, and heads of civil society organizations, who

ThePowerofHalf theSky

Each woman and girl deserves the opportunity tobenefit from the three C’s—

community,connections,and

confidence.

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By U.S. Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs TARA SONENSHINE

Under Secretary TaraSonenshine withAccess students atHumayun’s Tomb inNew Delhi inFebruary. TheEnglish AccessMicroscholarshipProgram provides afoundation of Englishlanguage skills totalented 14- to 18-year-olds fromdisadvantagedsectors.

Right: Under SecretaryTara Sonenshine (center)

met student leaders,journalists and bloggers

at a roundtable at the New Delhi

American Center inFebruary.

Right: Under SecretarySonenshine meets writer

and co-director of theJaipur Literature Festival,

Namita Gokhale (left).

Far right: Under SecretarySonenshine at the NewDelhi American Center.

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Tara Sonenshine http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/by_author/tdsonenshine/

https://twitter.com/TSonenshine

SPAN videos:How can youth make a difference?http://goo.gl/PdNB7

U.S. diplomat connects with Indian youthhttp://goo.gl/X01jq MAY/JUNE 2013 3

agreed that India can achieve its greatest potential by cre-ating more opportunities and protections for all women.

Education is one of the most effective ways we cannurture new generations of strong, open-minded, creative-thinking young women. And I am delighted that theIndian Government has committed to building communi-ty colleges into the framework of India’s education.

During my visit, I attended higher education meetingsat which American educators and Indian educators dis-cussed everything from online education to vocationaltraining. Working together, our two societies can learnfrom one another to create partnerships around open uni-versities and shared learning.

It is my hope that these publications produced by ourAmerican Center will provide a window into American

thinking and an opportunity for educational and culturalexchange. As Nicholas Kristof, noted NY Times journalist,says, you need to unlock the potential of half the sky, mean-ing the 50 percent of the world population that are women.

Each woman and girl deserves the opportunity to ben-efit from the three C’s—community, connections, andconfidence. Confidence is built through exposure toother cultures and other languages and the support ofother women showing you what is possible. Throughrelationships with other women, women fulfill MargaretMead’s blessing that a small group of thoughtful citizenscan change the world. I look forward to working withU.S. Ambassador Nancy Powell, and so many committedwomen in India, on joint projects that bring out the bestof our two nations. Go Online

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My husband does somuch around the house.We are definitely 50/50 onall things home-related.

—Jessie Randall, award-winning designerof the fashion label Loeffler Randall

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ne’s mother ran a nonprofit child abuseprevention center. Another’s held promi-nent positions in the education world.And the third’s was a stay-at-home mom.But despite differences in how they wereraised, all three of the successful womenyou are about to meet have something incommon: they are married, raising chil-dren and are working full-time careers. Inother words, they are making it all workfor them.

According to the Bureau of LaborStatistics, women comprised 47 percentof the total U.S. labor force in 2010. In1960, only 22 percent women wereemployed. A major factor in that rise hasbeen a changing mind-set about the capa-bilities of female workers. With theincrease of women’s equality and a shift-ing of traditional gender roles, womenhave been able to expand their presence

Finding equilibrium with work, family

and life.

By ANNE WALLS

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I feel really grateful to have such a full life that includes creativity...and intellectualchallenges and family.

—Erin Courtney, Obie award-winning playwright

in professional fields while their husbandsare sharing more of the domestic andchildcare duties.

Victoria Messler is an assistant directorof a middle school in New York City witha two-and-a-half-year-old son and anotherbaby on the way. Messler says, “I thinkworking full time allows my marriage tobe the kind of equal partnership that Ialways wanted, even in parenting. Sinceboth of us work, we divide the load ofhousehold responsibilities as equally aswe can.”

Jessie Randall, mother of three andaward-winning designer of the fashionlabel Loeffler Randall, echoes Messler’ssentiments. Her husband, Brian Murphy,is the chief financial officer of their com-pany, but Randall says he also finds timeto help at home. “My husband does somuch around the house. We are definitely50/50 on all things home-related.”

Randall has been working full timesince she graduated college in 1998 andsays one of the biggest challenges of try-ing to balance a career and family is “thefeeling of constantly letting someonedown—at work you feel you are not giv-ing enough and at home you feel you arenot giving enough. There isn’t enoughtime to go around. That said, I do feellike I have a wonderful balance.”

Erin Courtney can attest to the chal-lenges of working and raising a family.An Obie Award-winning playwright, col-lege professor and mother of two,Courtney says, “The biggest challenge isthe multitasking and the low grade stress

of feeling like I’m always forgettingsomething.” But, she counters, “I feelreally grateful to have such a full life thatincludes creativity and community andintellectual challenges and family.”

Though there are obvious financialincentives for both partners to work, eachof these women has more personal rea-sons for staying in the professionalworld after becoming a mother.Randall says, “I like feeling chal-lenged in my career and learningnew things every day. I amlucky to work in my dreamcareer and to be able to be cre-ative every day.”

Messler agrees: “I recog-nize for myself the fulfillmentI get from my job, especiallythe outlet for creativity itprovides and the day-to-dayrelationships with colleaguesand students.Maintaining and nurturing this partof my personalityand my brain isvery important tome.”

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Husbands are not theonly ones pitching in tohelp raise happy, well-nurtured k rs are alsopicking up some of theresponsibilities. Here are a few examplesof U.S. companieswho are hheellppiinnggeemmppllooyyeeeess bbaallaannccee wwoorrkkaanndd ffaammiillyy..

Ernst and Young, LLP This global accounting firm has ranked inthe top 10 on Working Mother’s “100Best Companies” list because of themany benefits the company provides forits employees’ families, like parenting andsibling classes. The company offers anaverage of 14 weeks of fully-paid mater-nity leave. It also offers paid paternity andadoption leave.

Johnson & Johnson Parents who work at this New Jerseycompany have their choice of sevenon-site facilities that treat kids underage 5 to puppet shows, storytelling,art, music and nature activities, andeven offer kindergarten and summercamps in some areas. There is a nurseon site, as well.

CiscoThis California-based networkingequipment manufacturer has twoon-site childcare centers which offerholiday and vacation care, and an11-week summer camp foremployees’ kids between the agesof 6 and 12.

American Express The credit card company’s Healthy Babiesprogram connects expectant moms witha maternity nurse and provides supportfor high-risk births and special needs,while also offering infertility consultationsand up to $20,000 in coverage for relatedtreatments.

VerizonCommunications This technology company knows aboutusing the most up-to-date ways tocommunicate. So much so, that theyallow parents to conduct meetings viavideo conference, work from satelliteoffices near home, or pull night shifts tospend more days with their kids. —AA..WW..

NurturingCompanies

One of the things that seem to help thesedriven women keep their personal and pro-fessional lives in order is a well-oiled dailyschedule. All three women have a routinethat they stick to—with their family, aswell as their professions. Messler says, “Ikeep things like clockwork and very struc-tured, because the routine keeps thingsunder control and life more enjoyable foreveryone.” All three try to be home fordinner. Courtney, whose mom worked fulltime at a nonprofit, says she was raisedwith her busy parents still making family apriority. “We ate dinner together everynight,” she recalls. “Which was amazingactually, now that I think about it.”

Also important is quality time. Randalltakes every Friday off to spend time with hersons. Courtney and her husband Scott makesure they go out on the town for specialevents at least twice a month. Messler saysweekends are key. “Our weekends arespent together as a family doing things wewill all enjoy: visiting new playgroundsaround the city, checking out museums, hav-ing play dates with other families. We arealmost always together. We really find greatfun in watching our son explore the world.”

And the overall result has been—besidesa jam-packed schedule—a more fulfilledlife. One that sets a positive, empoweringexample for their kids. According toCourtney, “It feels rewarding when I amgoing through a creative or professionalchallenge and my children get to watch thewhole process of hard work, obstacles andfears…and then the outcomes.”

Anne Walls is a writer and filmmaker based inLos Angeles, California.

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Loeffler Randallhttp://www.loefflerrandall.com/LRPartners.aspx

Erin Courtneyhttp://www.aoiagency.com/2010/06/erin-courtney-playwright/

Forget Work-Life Balance:It’s Time for Work-LifeBlendhttp://goo.gl/gQ7op

The Dual-Career Mojo that Makes Couples Thrive http://goo.gl/QugJ8

2012 Working Mother 100 Best Companieshttp://goo.gl/1VpBE

I think working full timeallows my marriage to bethe kind of equal partnershipthat I always wanted, evenin parenting.

—Victoria Messler, assistant director of a middle school in New York City

“”Go Online

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Fighting gender-based violence on the ground,around theworld.

TakingBack

the

Night

Agrim statistic runs across the top of theTake Back The Night Foundation Web site:“At least one out of every three womenworldwide has been beaten, forced into sexor otherwise abused in her lifetime by apartner, relative, friend, stranger, employer,and/or colleague.”

But Take Back The Night has made it itsmission to turn this statistic on its head,fighting gender violence since 1999.

Katie Koestner is the driving force behindthe international headquarters of the organ-ization, which she established in the wakeof speaking out about her own experienceas a survivor of date rape at the age of 18.

“I was motivated by having gonethrough this terrible experience and beingmet with very little support. The guy got aslap on the wrist and no one thought whathappened was bad because we were on adate. I just thought that was plain oldwrong,” she says.

Koestner’s efforts to stand up for herselfat the college she attended soon burgeonedinto a national cause and her life’s passion.“There have been events that have calledthemselves Take Back The Night aroundthe world for over 4 decades. I broughteveryone together to unite the groups....We are the international HQ for all TakeBack The Night events,” she says. Anygiven day can entail “flying on a planefrom one town to another giving speech-es…or writing sexual assault policies forschools,” or countless other related tasks.

“I wear about 5 billion hats but I don’ttire of any of them,” she says.

In March, Koestner interacted withaudiences in Chennai and New Delhithrough video conferences where shespoke about women’s safety in publicspaces, role of survivors in raising aware-ness about violence against women and thepolicies and educational strategiescurrently employed by groups in theUnited States.

A grassroots campaign Ultimately, Koestner and Take Back The

Night seek to end the silence that canallow sexual violence to proliferate. In cer-tain communities, power dynamics keepwomen from coming forward to report arape, Koestner says. The very act of report-ing could, in fact, lead to punishment.

Take Back The Nighthttp://takebackthenight.org

White House public service announcementon dating violencehttp://www.whitehouse.gov/1is2many/

Apps against abusehttp://goo.gl/9f6ur

“Stop Street Harassment”http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/about/book

“Half the Sky”http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/half-the-sky

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Anyone who does somethingcourageous and difficult andspeaks out and isn’t afraid to say

‘I’m going to do theright thing and takethat risk’—anytime people do that, the world is going to be better.

—Katie Koestner, board ppresident of TTake BBack TThe NNight FFoundation

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Because of these discrepancies acrossgeographical, cultural and sometimes reli-gious lines, Take Back The Night works ina fairly unstructured way; it doesn’t pre-scribe a specific formula for different com-munities to combat or heighten awarenessof sexual violence. There are about 650participating communities that hold events“when they can garner support…or whenthey feel the right ingredients are present,”Koestner says.

Depending on the customs and lawsgoverning a particular area, a Take BackThe Night event can consist of a publicmarch or protest or a group of supportersand survivors sitting in a circle, lightingcandles, singing and reading poetry.According to Koestner, the goal is to high-light the sexual violence and bring support,in the best possible way, to those who havebeen assaulted.

Taking a stand in your communityTo those wanting to join the fight

against gender violence, Koestner suggestsstarting with some concentrated research.“See if there are like-minded folks…rapecrisis centers, social justice groups or otherexisting structures in the community andtry to join forces with them,” she says. “Ifthere’s nothing, then you are going to haveto start building some alliances.”

Koestner suggests thinking in terms of“what do I want to accomplish and how doI move from point A to point C—what’smy ‘B’ step to get there.” She encourageslooking to those not only with power, butto the people vying for power.

“Sometimes you are more likely to getsupport [from up and coming leaders]because they need a way to make a splashand they see you as someone who can helpdo that,” Koestner says.

She continues to be inspired by anyonebrave enough to speak out against any formof gender-based violence.

“Anyone who does something coura-geous and difficult and speaks out and isn’tafraid to say ‘I’m going to do the rightthing and take that risk’—anytime peopledo that, the world is going to be better,”Koestner says.

Carrie Loewenthal Massey is a New YorkCity-based freelance writer.

Since the early days ofTake Back The Night,many U.S. colleges

have developed “really strongsexual assault protection pro-grams,” says Board PresidentKatie Koestner. One suchmodel exists at Lewis &Clark College in Oregon.

Lewis & Clark talks to itsstudents about sexualassault from day one, send-ing the message that “wedon’t tolerate gender vio-lence and if it happens wetake it seriously and offersupport for survivors,” saysMelissa Osmond, associatedirector for health promotionand wellness at the college.

Osmond organizes groupdiscussions during orienta-tion for new students and

also conducts training inpeer advocacy with studentgroups. The training helps toensure there is a large popu-lation of people on campusthat can recognize situationsthat might not look or soundright and know how to inter-vene effectively.

The college also encour-ages students to follow cer-tain safe practices and pro-vides services to make iteasy to do so. Campus safe-ty officers will escort anyonehome who does not want towalk alone on campus lateat night. Likewise, theFeminist Student Unionstarted a “safe ride” pro-gram that will pick studentsup on- or off-campus andtake them to their homes.

Some safety tips includemeeting new people inpublic places and using clearcommunication in sexualsituations. Osmond givesthis advice with the strongcaveat that “only theoffender can prevent thecrime because they make achoice to hurt someone,”and that failure to follow anyof these practices should notcast any blame on thevictim.

Osmond hopes to expandLewis & Clark’s sexualassault prevention program,training as many people aspossible to help keepwomen students safe.

“This is an issue everyoneshould be involved in,” shesays. ——CC..LL..MM..

Safety on Campus

Campus Safety at Lewis & Clark Collegehttp://goo.gl/bd7nS

Sexual Assault on Campus:What Colleges and UniversitiesAre Doing About Ithttp://goo.gl/qU21N

U.S. Department ofEducation letter on gender-based violencehttp://goo.gl/2hWID

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When Karen Purcell was in high school, herphysics teacher told her that engineerscould do anything.

“That had me very intrigued,” she says. Purcell pursued a degree in electrical

engineering and found her niche creatingblueprints and plans for lighting, powerand communication systems for commer-cial buildings. She now owns an engi-neering firm of 19 employees in Reno,Nevada.

It is the tangibility of her work thatkeeps Purcell motivated and passionate.

“I love that you can work on a design,put it down onto paper or on a computerand then a few months later it is con-structed. It is so nice your design canbecome a reality [and] eachproject…serves as a learning opportuni-ty,” she says.

The ability to have this sort of concrete

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Want to

Changethe

World?By CARRIE LOEWENTHAL MASSEY

Practical advice forwomen interested in

STEM careers from thosewho have made a mark

in this field.

Attracting and retainingmore women in STEMcareers will helptremendously toimprove diversity, maximize creativity andboost competitiveness.

—Karen Purcell, founder andpresident of PK Electrical, Inc.

in Reno, Nevada

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impact on the world characterizes allScience, Technology, Engineering andMathematics (STEM) fields, areas inwhich employment opportunitiesshould expand by 17 percent by 2018,according to the U.S. Department ofCommerce. It is a growth rate that isnearly double that of non-STEM fields.

But how many women will holdthese jobs?

Women fill nearly half of all jobs inthe U.S. economy, though they occupyonly 25 percent of STEM positions, withlittle gain throughout the past decade.Purcell hopes this percentage will changein the coming years.

In 2012, she founded the nonprofitSTEMspire in conjunction with publish-ing her book, “Unlocking Your Brilliance:Smart Strategies for Women to Thrive inScience, Technology, Engineering, and SC

IENC

E I feel STEM education should be made moreengaging and connected to everyday life in order toattract girls and young women. Since family andteachers play such an important role in the earlydevelopment of academic interests, they play a vitalrole in shaping future generations of innovators,regardless of gender, and both play vital roles inencouraging girls to explore STEM topics.

—Ritimukta Sarangi, staff scientist at Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource

of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California

A lot of women, girls and other underrepresentedgroups do not understand what STEM entails.STEM is all around you from the food you eat(food scientists) to the roads you drive on (civilengineers). Also, engagement will help them tounderstand that STEM is not some abstract fieldthat only “other” people work in. The STEM fieldincludes women and people from diverse backgrounds and only benefits from adding different perspectives.

—J’Tia Taylor, technical nonproliferation specialist at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois

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Math,” which she wrote to “encourageand inspire women in STEM.”

Through STEMspire, Purcell hopes toprovide resources, including assistancewith starting STEM-related businessesand financial scholarships for college towomen currently working in STEMfields and those considering futureSTEM careers. She considers the mis-sion crucial, even “critical to improvingthe global economy.”

“Attracting and retaining more womenin STEM careers will help tremendouslyto improve diversity, maximize creativityand boost competitiveness,” she says.

Early exposure and mentorshipPurcell recognizes certain challenges

exist to pulling more women into STEMcareers. For one, young girls need moreexposure to STEM fields, she says.

Purcell also encourages current STEMprofessionals to get involved in schoolprograms that arrange mentors for youngwomen and help them understand whatcareers in certain fields will be like.Ideally, the mentor-student relationship isone that goes long-term, with the mentortaking a vested interest in the young per-son’s career advancement.

“The majority of successful women

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I think it is important to redefinethe image of a scientist as a manworking alone in the laboratory tothat of a diverse team ofresearchers working toward acommon goal that has hugesocietal impact. Scientificresearch is actually very social—the best labs are supportive,vibrant and creative environments that interact withresearchers from around theworld. When women, girls andunderrepresented groups have achance to see research in action,they want to be a part of it.

—Jill Fuss, research scientist in biophysics and biochemistry at LawrenceBerkeley National Laboratory in California

My main advice is to take as much math(first) and science (second) as you canat an early age (and at any age!) and get‘hands on’ experience through science projects and hobbies. …Keepasking questions and don’t worry aboutwhether they are good questions. Ifyou’re hesitant then use this rule: If youcannot think of the answer yourself inless than a minute, then go ahead andask the question. You learn so muchmore by asking questions.

—Sunita Satyapal, director of the U.S. Department of

Energy’s Fuel Cell Technologies Office

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time and time again credit their partici-pation in some sort of mentorship withdramatically helping them reach theircareer goals,” says Purcell.

Staying in STEM for the long haul Beyond breaking into their professions,

women in STEM fields face some uniquechallenges to career advancement andhave higher attrition rates than their malecounterparts. Purcell attributes the drop-out rate to several obstacles, including“the general belief that men outperformwomen in math and science fields,…work-life balance issues and bias.”

But she assures there are ways aroundthese potential barriers. Strong mentor-ship helps, as can “finding a supportivespouse” and accepting that “balance isnever easy.” Purcell makes it all work,leading in her industry as well as spend-ing time with her two children.

And there is her daily morning runtoo—Purcell’s guaranteed alone time thatlets her “reflect on what my day will looklike.”

“Finding that time can be difficult,” shesays, “but it is critical to success.”

Carrie Loewenthal Massey is a New YorkCity-based freelance writer.

Women in STEMhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/women

Women @ Energy http://energy.gov/diversity/listings/women-energy

Women in Sciencehttp://pinterest.com/penamoonz/women-in-science/?page=2

Video Series: How to Do a Science Fair Projecthttp://www.jpl.nasa.gov/education/sciencefair

“Women in Science: Then and Now”http://goo.gl/09TDw

Karen Purcell on Twitter https://twitter.com/STEMspire

I feel networking is very important in the field ofresearch, getting to know the right people, reading latest technical publications and beingperceptive makes a lot of difference. Serendipityplays a huge role too. I also think getting a mentoris very important, it definitely helped me a lot.

—Farah Fahim, engineer at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Chicago, Illinois

Throughout my childhood, my parents neverimplied to me that as a girl, I could not achievesomething I wanted. Engineering was an easychoice for me. I never had a second thought. Truly,it never occurred to me to do anything else!

—Xin Sun, computational mathematics scientist at PacificNorthwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington

Go Online

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Diane TombPresident and CEO,

NationalAssociation of

Women BusinessOwners.

They havepassion foran idea, avision tosucceed long-term afterthe businessis launched...

Women

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wanted to be happy with what I was doing for aliving,” says Delia Bonfilio in discussing whyshe started her own business in 1998. “I workedin a small design studio, learned how that com-pany operated and then went out on my own.”

Bonfilio Design, whose clients range from Avonand the Animal Rights Coalition to the City ofNew York, is one of more than eight millionwomen-owned businesses in the United States.These firms are a rapidly expanding slice of theAmerican economy that has grown some 54 per-cent in the past 15 years according to a March2012 study, the State of Women-OwnedBusinesses Report published by American ExpressOPEN, which examined U.S. Census Bureau data.

“We are not talking about women makingclothes in their spare bedroom,” says MarshaFirestone, founder and president of the WomenPresidents’ Organization, whose members runmultimillion-dollar companies. “Women ownabout 30 percent of all the private-held companiesin the country, and as of the end of 2011, theygenerated $1.3 trillion in revenues and employedmore than 7.7 million people,” she adds.

Women’s success benefits everyone, includingmen, Firestone emphasizes.

“Economic security is the keystone of a stablesociety,” she says. “If we want to grow employ-ment and the overall tax base, we need to takeadvantage of every possible opportunity. If youshut out half of your population, you are leavingout a great resource.”

The idea that women cannot run big companiesis debunked by the American Express OPENstudy.

Among the key findings: Between 2002 and2012, the number of majority women-ownedfirms with $10 million or more in revenues rosefrom 8,110 to 12,700—a 56.6 percent increase.During the same time period, the number of

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n Entrepreneurs

Business Mean

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Between 2002 and2012, the number

of majority women-ownedfirms with

$10 millionor more in

revenues rose from 8,110 to 12,700

a 56.6 percent increase.

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women-owned firms with $1 million ormore in revenues grew from 116,985 to152,900—a 30.7 percent increase.What’s more, the $10 million and upcompanies were concentrated in indus-tries not usually considered as “femi-nine”—20 percent were in wholesaletrade, 12 percent in finance and insur-ance, 11 percent in transportation andwarehousing, and 10 percent in arts,entertainment and recreation.

Successful women entrepreneursshare a number of traits, says DianeTomb, president and CEO of theNational Association of WomenBusiness Owners, which has chapters in60 countries. “They have passion for anidea, a vision to succeed long-term afterthe business is launched, and a willing-ness and attitude to fail before you suc-

ceed and to take risks.”Women who start their own business

find ways to overcome challenges, saysAnie Borja, executive director of theNational Women’s Business Council, afederal agency that provides advice to theU.S. President, Congress and the SmallBusiness Administration on economicissues of importance to women businessowners.

“Women can do more with less,” Borja

says. “They are very resourceful, andthey tend to be more cautious and risk-averse. Studies show that they are lesslikely than men to think they need startupcapital.”

Networking groups and mentors canbe of great benefit to women entrepre-neurs, says Stuti Jalan, who was selectedfor the Fortune/U.S. State DepartmentGlobal Women’s Mentoring Partnershipprogram (http://goo.gl/QBdlS) in 2011

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Although they might not realize it,women in developing countrieswho wonder if they can advance

themselves by starting their own busi-nesses have a strong ally working ontheir behalf.

The Council on Women’s Leadershipat Meridian, based at MeridianInternational Center in Washington, D.C.,connects and educates leaders fromdiverse fields and disciplines who sharean interest in impacting women’sempowerment and leadership opportuni-ties. Founded in 2010, the council worksto strengthen international understand-ing of the political, economic and socialfactors that accelerate the empower-ment of women in their local communi-ties, nationally and globally.

Michele Manatt, chair and co-founderof the council, believes women are natu-ral entrepreneurs.

“Women can do many things at thesame time—they don’t have just oneoccupation,” Manatt says in an inter-view. “Their ability to conceptualize abusiness and try out ideas does notcome at the exclusion of other dutiessuch as taking care of their households,their children, their parents.”

The council’s many events and pro-grams bring together women from devel-oping countries who exchange ideas andexperiences with leading figures in avariety of fields from the United Statesand elsewhere. Hundreds of women from

India, Pakistan, Egypt,Colombia, sub-SaharanAfrica, Latin America and theCaribbean have participatedin the council’s programs.

“The overriding purposeof our networking is to breakdown the walls that womenlive with in their worlds sothey understand that womenacross many disciplinesshare similar values andobjectives,” Manatt says.

In her address markingthe annual celebration ofInternational Women’s Dayon March 8, Manatt notedthat women’s issues are aglobal priority for the UnitedStates.

“Today, we can all be encouraged thatthe issues of the advancement ofwomen and girls are more central tohow U.S. policymakers and opinion lead-ers analyze and respond to foreign policychallenges,” she said.

The council’s work will bear fruit formany years to come, Manatt believes.

“We have developed a network of verypromising future leaders, in the political,cultural, economic and education areas,who have come to us through programswe organize and execute,” Manatt says.“We believe we plant seeds in them thatwill sprout and flourish when they getback home.” —S.F.

The Council on Women’sLeadership at Meridianhttp://www.meridian.org/cwl

Connecting

WomenAround the World

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Biz Divashttp://bizdivas.in

30 WomenEntrepreneursto Follow onTwitterhttp://goo.gl/YG3q

“HarvardBusinessReview onWomen inBusiness”http://goo.gl/E8Lgc

The State ofWomen-OwnedBusinessesReporthttp://goo.gl/zIcb8

MAY/JUNE 2013 19

and also participated in the Dell Women’sEntrepreneur Network sponsored by the computermanufacturer.

“Interacting with other entrepreneurs gave me moreperspective,” says Jalan, founder of CrosshairsCommunication, a public relations and brand consul-tancy with offices in New Delhi and Mumbai. “I waspretty content with the way my business was growinguntil 2011 and then I was told that I could really scaleup my business, which gave me the belief that I couldgrow my company internationally.”

Women entrepreneurs are optimistic about othersfollowing in their footsteps.

“There’s more boldness in women,” says Borja ofthe National Women’s Business Council. “We’velearned that you don’t just have to play it safe and thatcalculated risk is good. We’ve learned that it’s O.K. toshoot for the stars.”

Steve Fox is a freelance writer, former newspaper publisherand reporter based in Ventura, California.

Stuti JalanFounder, Crosshairs Communication.

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Michele ManattChair and co-founder, Council on Women’sLeadership at Meridian.

The overridingpurpose ofournetworkingis to breakdown thewalls thatwomen livewith in theirworlds...

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Title IX and the success of American

sportswomen.

GeorgetownUniversity volleyballmiddle blockerLindsay Wise spikesthe ball during ahome game.

20 MAY/JUNE 2013

To share articles go to http://span.state.gov MAY/JUNE 2013 21

SPOR

TS

TheGame-Changer for

Girls

On a recent sunny spring afternoon inMaryland, a 16-year-old ballplayer stepsup to home plate. Eyeing the pitcherwith cool confidence, she takes a prac-tice swing that puts the outfielders onalert. Her high school girls’ softballteammates holler from behind thedugout fence: “You got this, Emma!”The pitcher launches the ball to thestrike zone, and Emma Keyes’ bat meetsthe ball with a smack, sending it overthe center fielder’s head.

A young girl playing sports is not aunique sight in America. However, the

scenario was different before 1972,when the U.S. Congress passed legisla-tion to end sexual discrimination in fed-erally funded education programs, driv-ing a dramatic increase in athletic oppor-tunities for women and girls. The law,known as Title IX, simply states: “Noperson in the United States shall, on thebasis of sex, be excluded from participa-tion in, be denied the benefits of, or besubjected to discrimination under anyeducation program or activity receivingFederal financial assistance.”

In addition to providing equal sports

opportunities for boys and girls, compli-ance with Title IX meant the end of gen-der-biased school requirements, such asmechanics classes for boys and homeeconomics (sewing and cooking) forgirls. The law prohibits educationalinstitutions from discriminating againstpregnant and parenting students.Universities could no longer pay andpromote female staff and faculty atlower rates than their male counterparts,previously a widespread problem.Athletic scholarships for girls had toequal those for boys, and girls’ teams

By JANE VARNER MALHOTRA

began to see improved facilities andbetter salaries for their coaches.Suddenly, young female athletesmoved from the sidelines to the play-ing field, from the cheerleading squadto center court as schools reached outto provide more athletic opportunitiesfor girls.

During the past 40 years, the strideshave been great. According to theNational Federation of State High SchoolAssociations Athletics ParticipationSurvey, 3.7 million boys competed inhigh school sports in 1972, but less than300,000 girls did. By 2012, 4.5 millionboys competed, but the number of girlsparticipating in high school sports hadrisen 10-fold, to 3.2 million.

By the time Washington, D.C. softballcoach Amy Thompson graduated fromhigh school in 1986, athletic opportunitiesfor young women had increased dramati-cally. “I played on the basketball, trackand softball teams,” she recalls, “but I did-n’t know what Title IX was. The schoolhad to provide buses for us to get togames. We had a gym and use of a field.”

Now, Thompson’s daughters play soft-ball for their high school and middleschool teams, and she knows they benefitin many ways. “Team sports help girlsdevelop confidence and opportunities forleadership. They learn time-management,cooperation and compromise. It alsoteaches them how to handle defeat anddisappointment and, of course, helpsthem test their physical limits.”

Colleges and universities, elementaryand secondary schools across Americacontinue to work on Title IX compliance.

Organizations like the Women’s SportsFoundation, begun in 1974 by tennis leg-end Billie Jean King, help support theongoing pursuit of greater equality andaccess for women in sports. According totheir research, female high school ath-letes are more likely to get better grades

in school and more likely to graduate.The foundation asserts that sport is

where boys and girls learn teamwork,goal setting and the pursuit of excellence.Through education, advocacy, researchand grants for athletes, the organiza-tion—comprised of business leaders and

22 MAY/JUNE 2013

I tthink wwhat TTitle IIX hhas ggiven tto aall...female aathletes, pparticularly bbasketballplayers, iis jjust tto hhave dreams aandgoals aand aaspirations and ttoknow tthat ssomeday yyou wwould llove ttohave tthat oopportunity tto mmake aa lliving aatwhat iit iis yyou llove aand ffor mme, tthat wwasplaying bbasketball.

—Sheryl Swoopes, three-time Olympic gold medalist,former professional basketball player, currently women’s

basketball coach at Loyola University Chicago. She was the firstplayer to be signed in the Women’s National Basketball

Association when it was created in 1996.

“”

Right: Stacey Marien (firstrow, far right) played for herhigh school softball team from1977 to 1980.Below: Minnesota Lynx’sSeimone Augustus (left) andChicago Sky’s Tamera Youngduring the first half of a WNBAbasketball game in Minnesotain 2012. The league honoredthe 40th anniversary of Title IXon the players’ jerseys.

Source: http://espn.go.com

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Olympic champions—works to advancethe lives of girls and women.

Back on the softball diamond, EmmaKeyes’ hit sends her racing to secondbase, her teammates hooting and holler-ing in the dugout. Her mother, StaceyMarien, smiles with pride on the side-lines as she recalls her own experiencein a small private school in Connecticut

in the 1970s. “The only sport for girlswas cheerleading for the boys basketballteam. In 7th grade, I wanted to try outfor the baseball team but was denied,”she says. In 8th grade, Marien wanted totry out again, and was denied once more.“This time, my father, an attorney,brought the case to the school board. Idistinctly remember sitting at a table

with all these men, my father and me,and someone saying to my father, ‘Wellif she wanted to play football, would youlet her?’ My father said ‘yes.’ ”

Marien’s request to be a full partici-pant on the team was denied again, basedon baseball being a ‘contact sport,’ sheexplains. “They said if I slid into base, Icould hit my head. But my school let me

stay on the team—I could prac-tice and play in scrimmages,and I was the scorekeeper.Honestly, I was better than mostof the boys on the team.” Onepositive result: the followingyear, the school started a soft-ball team for the girls.

A powerful hit from ateammate brings Keyes homefor the game-winning run.Elated coach and players mobtogether to form a bouncinggroup hug, then quickly line upto shake hands with the oppos-ing team. Win some, lose some,but in the end girls are playingmore than ever, and that’s a winall around.

Jane Varner Malhotra is a freelance writer based inWashington, D.C.

President Barack Obama Reflects on the Impact of Title IXhttp://goo.gl/MlX8j

Before and After Title IX: A timeline http://goo.gl/gyFmd

Women of the Obama Administration and Title IX http://goo.gl/iL7Sl

The Power of IXhttp://espn.go.com/espnw/title-ix/

The Olympics and Title IXhttp://goo.gl/Hy8D9

“Let Me Play”http://goo.gl/8szqV

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Above: espnW’s Title IX photo mosaic of female athletes is unveiled upon theNewseum in Washington, D.C. Right: Aly Marzonie (right) and RachelShellenback (second from right) of the NewTrier High School girls’ soccer team preparefor a game in the Illinois High SchoolAssociation girls’ soccer tournament.

Girls participating in high school sports

Less than

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1972 2012

No person in theUnited States shall,on the basis of sex,be excluded fromparticipation in, bedenied the benefitsof, or be subjected todiscrimination underany educationprogram or activityreceiving Federalfinancial assistance.Go

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By MICHAEL GALLANT

24 MAY/JUNE 2013

WinningVotes

and

LeadingCommunities

Women in the United States are becoming more involved in politics, affectingchange and inspiringothers in the process.

POLI

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here cannot be true democracy unless women’s voices areheard,” stated former U.S. Secretary of State, Senator andFirst Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton in 1997. “There cannotbe true democracy unless women are given the opportunityto take responsibility for their own lives. There cannot betrue democracy unless all citizens are able to participatefully in the lives of their country.”

Thanks to pioneering female politicians like Clinton,women’s voices are becoming more and more prevalent inAmerican politics on local, state and national levels. In2013, 101 women were sworn in as members of the U.S.Congress, the highest number ever. For many women inpolitics, service in public office brings great opportunitiesto change lives and inspire others—though such progresscan bring significant challenges as well.

“Women in politics, whatever their ages, bring a differentlook at problems,” says Ann Kobayashi, a member of theHonolulu City Council in Hawaii who has served her localcommunity for decades. “They are concerned about issuesthat men may also be concerned about, but that male politi-cians may not bring to the forefront when draftinglegislation.”

Kobayashi cites early childhood education and education-al and career opportunities for women as just a few of theareas where female politicians bring important perspectivesto local community issues, though such topics are just thebeginning. Within Honolulu, Kobayashi is currently work-ing to remedy the city’s struggle with homelessness; oneinitiative involves low-income housing projects that willbenefit artists.

Kobayashi’s areas of focus can also range from urbanplanning and upkeep to economic issues. “Parks are veryimportant to communities, especially in cities, because theyare places where families and friends can get together,” shesays. “It’s also important to ask questions like, ‘Are taxestoo high?’ ‘Do people have to work multiple jobs to getby?’ The economy seems to be the most important issue for

Center for American Women and Politicshttp://cawp.rutgers.edu

Center for Women in Politics and Public Policyhttp://umb.edu/cwppp

Vital Voices http://www.vitalvoices.org/vital-voices-women

“Madam President: The Extraordinary, True (andEvolving) Story of Women in Politics”http://goo.gl/ZL4Hj

T

South CarolinaGovernorNikki Haley.

Tulsi Gabbard (center) is theRepresentative for Hawaii’s2nd Congressional District.She is one of the first femalecombat veterans and firstHindu to serve as a memberof the U.S. Congress.

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many people, men and women,” she adds.“It’s important as an elected official toknow if people are struggling to make aliving, and to find ways to help.”

Challenges and progress Many female politicians have to counter

troublesome preconceptions in their day-to-day work. In her book, “RepresentativeMom,” former U.S. Representative fromNew York Susan Molinari articulated thechallenges that many women in politicsface, writing: “There I’d be, in a war inBosnia, and some reporter—usuallyfemale—would comment on how I wasdressed, then turn to my male colleaguesfor answers to questions of substance.”According to many other female politicians,including South Carolina Governor Nikki

Haley, Molinari’s experience was,unfortunately, far from unique. Speaking ata discussion of her book “Can’t Is Not anOption” in 2012, Governor Haley told theaudience at the American Enterprise Institutethat she fields plenty of criticism for herclothing and accessory choices, accordingto an article in washingtonexaminer.com.

In spite of such frustrations, femalepoliticians across the United Statescontinue to make their voices heard. Forgirls and women aspiring to follow in theirfootsteps, Kobayashi recommends becom-ing active in the local community “soyou’ll know what platform to run for officeon, and why,” she says. “It’s important toknow what the issues of your communityare and it’s not the same everywhere. Startin your own neighborhood and then go outinto the community as a whole to find outwhat people need, what government isdoing that’s right for people, and what it’sdoing that isn’t right for people.”

And if Kobayashi herself is any exam-ple, simply the act of working as a femalepolitician can inspire other women to fol-low a similar path. The Honolulu councilmember cites former U.S. Representativeand Assistant Secretary of State Patsy Minkas a great role model when she herself wasthinking of running for office. “She was inCongress for many, many years and sheadvocated for women’s issues,” saysKobayashi.

Michael Gallant is the founder and chiefexecutive officer of Gallant Music. He lives inNew York City.

In September 2012, the WhiteHouse Council on Women andGirls began a contest for young

people: The Equal Futures AppChallenge encouraged partici-pants to create an app thatinspires girls to learn about, andparticipate in, public leadership.

A daunting task? Perhaps, butone that could go in any numberof creative directions. Appdesigners competing in the con-test could choose to have theirtechnologies educate girls aboutstrong women in positions ofpublic leadership, or provideadvice on how girls can become

strong leaders themselves.Equally valid would be teachinggirls about political issues thataffect them and giving them thetools to reach out to their electedofficials, or giving them a behind-the-scenes look at what it takesto run a political campaign.

“I’d be very interested in learn-ing about the entire process ofrunning for office; from start tofinish,” wrote 17-year-oldJennifer Nguyen, who drew adetailed sketch of an educationalapp she would like to see anduse. She also wrote about herinterest in learning how to

become a leader: “I’d like to learnabout how to be confident and tobe able to speak eloquently. Also,what does it take to be a greatleader? What characteristics doesa good leader have and shouldn’thave?”

Helping judge the entries was

a panel of lawmakers and tech-nology experts including memberof the Kansas House ofRepresentatives Barbara Ballard,Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey,former Secretary of Labor HildaSolis and Academy Award-win-ning actor Geena Davis.

In April, Girl emPower, createdby Laura Phelps and AndrewCavanagh, was selected as thenotable app. Besides videos ofwomen leaders, this free iPad appincludes a collection of fun factsabout how the U.S. governmentworks. Visit equalfutures.challenge.gov to learn more. —MM..GG..

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Top: Ann Kobayashi is a member of theHonolulu City Council in Hawaii. Above: Former U.S. Secretary of State,Senator and First Lady Hillary Clinton. Above right: Former Secretary of LaborHilda Solis was one of the judges of theEqual Futures App Challenge (below). Shealso represented the 32nd CongressionalDistrict in California from 2001 to 2009.

Designing Apps for Equality

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A scene from “Wit,”which tells the story of auniversity professor dyingof ovarian cancer. The playwas produced onBroadway and othertheaters, including theAmerican Stage TheatreCompany in Florida.

o understand the mission of Artemisia Theatrein Chicago, Illinois, it helps to understandwhere the company got its name.

“Artemisia Gentileschi was a Baroquepainter who, until the 1970s, was essentiallyinvisible,” says Julie Proudfoot, Artemisia’sfounding artistic director. “Before then, herpaintings had been attributed to men. Shepainted women performing strong, and some-times, violent acts—and nobody thought that awoman would paint such things.”

“That’s such a snapshot of our mission,”Proudfoot continues. “Through our produc-

tions, we want to challenge our audience’s per-ception of who women are, and what they canand cannot do.”

Artemisia was founded in 2011 and hasgrown in popularity over the last two years.“We look for plays that are female-driven andwell-written, and that fulfill our mission ofchallenging how audiences think aboutwomen,” Proudfoot says. “Then we select fiveor six that we think are the best and havestaged readings and audience discussions aftereach reading. The audience selects which playwe fully produce. It’s really up to them to

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Through theirproductions,Americantheater groupschallengetraditional mind-setsabout women.

decide which one challenges their per-ceptions the most.”

The play that Artemisia’s audiencechose for production in the fall of 2013is Ross Tedford Kendall’s edgy“Gambit,” which tells the story of apowerful, female U.S. attorney and herniece. “The aunt is a single womanwho has devoted herself to her careerher whole life, and the niece is incredi-bly intelligent, but rebellious andvolatile,” describes Proudfoot. “At onepoint, they play a game of chess at avery high level on stage and argue overthe niece’s future. Political and socialpoints of law come up and it’s a veryintense encounter.”

At the end of the play’s reading,Proudfoot and her colleagues asked theaudience if their perceptions had indeedbeen challenged—and the answer wasan overwhelming “yes.” “They weren’tused to seeing young women respondlike the niece did, or stories that depictwomen as forceful United States attor-neys or chess masters,” says Proudfoot.“So the play did its job.”

Artemisia is not the only theaterorganization using its artistic power tomake audiences question stereotypesabout women. Washington Women inTheatre, for example, works to promotewomen’s music and theater projects“dealing with political, social and his-torical issues from a women’s perspec-tive,” while adapting its creative workto the political climate of the nation’s

capital. Another Washington, D.C.organization, the Black WomenPlaywrights’ Group, supports theatricalproductions that focus on momentswhen an audience’s assumptions aboutwomen may be far from reality.

“My playwright members writeabout critical moments when, unfortu-nately, girls get passed over or treateddifferently for this reason or that rea-son,” says Karen Evans, the group’sfounder and president. “It’s a shamethat, with the current generation, youngwomen often don’t realize when theyare being slighted. My members reallydo get to that moment of decision intheir plays.”

For Evans, the act of writing anddepicting such moments on stage, nomatter how tragic the scene, can helpyoung women in real life. “We’ve donea lot of work in schools and trying toteach young kids how to write effectiveheroines is very enlightening,” she sayswith a laugh. “It can be a struggle andit doesn’t seem to come as a naturalinclination. When I tell a student thatthe female character in his or her playhas to step up and take charge, there’sthis moment of realization where he orshe just lights up and understands. Andit can be the same way when you areseeing a play performed live.”

For anyone who wants to challengepreconceptions about women throughtheater, Evans offers the followingadvice: “Write, write, write,” she says.“Write whatever comes to you, whetherit’s a play or poetry, as long as it has astrong narrative voice. Perform it your-self, if you are not too shy. On the mostimmediate level that you can, produce ityourself, too—at your church, school,community center—because nobody isgoing to come in and say, ‘let me pro-duce your play!’ Just create your owncontent, whatever the form. As long asthere is a strong narrative voice, you canperform it, so get it on its feet in front ofpeople and see what happens.”

Michael Gallant is the founder and chiefexecutive officer of Gallant Music. He livesin New York City.

28 MAY/JUNE 2013

Some plays that challenge conceptionsabout women have received widespreadvisibility and acclaim. First produced in

2000, American playwright David Auburn’s play“Proof” tells the story of Catherine, a brilliantyoung woman who struggles with a legacy, leftto her by her deceased father, of both geniusand mental illness. The play ran on Broadwayin New York, won the Pulitzer Prize for Dramaand the Tony Award for Best Play. It was madeinto a motion picture in 2005.

Artemisia Theatre’s Julie Proudfoot recom-mends “The Hunger Games,” “Silver LiningsPlaybook” and “Gone With The Wind” as exam-ples of movies that effectively challenge per-ceptions of women. She also points to AliceWalker’s book “The Color Purple,” and plays likeMargaret Edson’s “Wit.” ——MM..GG..

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Artemisia Theatrehttp://www.artemisiatheatre.org

Washington Women in Theatre

http://www.washingtonwit.org/

The Black WomenPlaywrights’ Group

http://www.blackwomenplaywrights.org

Women in Theaterhttp://goo.gl/L09IA

Go Online

“Proof“

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Top, center andleft: Scenes fromthe play “Proof,”which stars AlexKelper as Catherineand Bill Van Horn asher father. Far left: A scenefrom “Wit.”

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AnAlaskan Treat

The ice ages are ancient history—or are they? Visitors toAlaska’s Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve can todaytravel along sculpted shorelines and among scenic islands thatwere completely covered by ice just 250 years ago. Part of aworld heritage site that is one of Earth’s largest protectedareas, this magnificent park encompasses 1.3 million hectaresof rugged mountains, stunning glaciers, temperate rain forest,wild coastlines and deep sheltered fjords.

“The primary reason for coming to Glacier Bay is to seeexisting tidewater glaciers,” says Supervisory Park RangerLaura Buchheit, who began working at the park in the 1990s,and now lives there. “Most of the glaciers are diminishing insize, yet due to the topography of tall coastal mountains, twoof the tidewater glaciers are growing. Visitors are in a temper-ate rain forest in the morning, then staring at an active tide-water glacier in an ice age scene by lunch.”

By STEVE FOX

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Glacier Bay offers a variety of adventure activities for all budgets, including

kayaking, whale watching,sportfishing, mountain

climbing, beachcombing,flightseeing, camping

and birding.

To share articles go to http://span.state.gov MAY/JUNE 2013 33

34 MAY/JUNE 2013

Located on Alaska’s Inside Passage, a coastalroute for oceangoing vehicles along the PacificCoast of North America, and about 100 kilometersnorthwest of the state’s capital city, Juneau,Glacier Bay is an incredibly dynamic environ-ment. Visitors can hear the majestic glaciers growlas they scour the rocky landscape below andwatch huge slabs of ice break off and plunge intothe salt water. All around, change is dramatic.

“The glacial retreat is the fastest in recordedhistory,” Buchheit says, noting that the resultinglandscape is—geologically speaking—brand new.“Wildlife has moved in as vegetation has takenroot, from brown bears, wolves and moose tohumpback whales, orca and puffins. It is an amaz-ing, awe-inspiring place for researchers and visi-tors alike.”

Glacier Bay offers a variety of adventure activi-ties for all budgets, including kayaking, whalewatching, sportfishing, mountain climbing, beach-combing, flightseeing (sightseeing from planes),camping and birding.

About 450,000 people visit the park every year,most by cruise ships on seven or 10-day round-tripvoyages from Seattle, Washington or Vancouver,Canada. The primary cruise lines are Princess,Holland America and Norwegian. Prices, whichinclude cabin and meals, begin at around $750, with

additional fees for various shore excursions. Thereare no roads to the park, so visitors must come byboat or plane. However, travelers on tight budgetscan bring camping gear and use the Alaskan ferrysystem to reach the tiny town of Gustavus (year-round population 450), about 16 kilometers fromthe park headquarters in Bartlett Cove, wherethere is a small campsite. Reservations arerequired.

Although native Tlingit people have lived in thearea for many hundreds of years, Gustavus itselfbegan as an agricultural homestead in 1923. Mostcurrent residents work for the park or associatedtourism facilities. The town’s population doublesduring the summer, when locals grow flowers,strawberries and vegetables in gardens surroundedby awe-inspiring views of snowcapped mountainranges.

“Some of the most common questions are aboutwhat it’s like to live here year-round,” Buchheitsays. “A lot of it, I think, is that people are tryingto grasp the immensity of the landscape and it’s sohard to comprehend that people ask about thehuman aspect. I tell them it’s amazing to be able tolive surrounded by wilderness and the opportuni-ties it provides for adventure and challenge andsolitude.”

The park is always open—“there’s no gate to

Above: TheGlacier Bay seakayaking tripexplores thefamous WestArm of GlacierBay.

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Top left: Hikers at Glacier Bay. Above left: A touristexplores a glacier at the park.Left: Halibut fishingin Glacier Bay.

Top: Tourists watchsea lions resting onrocks. Above: Camping is among a variety of adventureactivities available in Glacier Bay.

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Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

http://www.nps.gov/glba/index.htm

Glacier Bay videoshttp://www.youtube.com/user/GlacierBayNPS

Alaskan ferry system http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/

Gustavus http://www.gustavusak.com/

close,” Buchheit jokes—but almost all visitors comebetween late May and early September, when tem-peratures range between 10 degrees to 15 degreesCelsius and the usual weather forecast is rain.Visitors should have waterproof boots and other raingear, including hats, gloves and a warm coat.Lodging, groceries, restaurants and taxi service areavailable in Gustavus, and more than 50 companiesprovide access to the park.

Steve Fox is a freelance writer, former newspaper publisher and reporter based in Ventura, California.

Top: Visitors gettingready to kayak nearGlacier Bay Lodge. Center: Hikers explorethe Forest Loop Trail.Above: A toddler trieshis hand at fishing.

Above right: A GlacierBay swim team.Right: A tourist showsoff an unusual catch.

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To share articles go to http://span.state.gov MAY/JUNE 2013 37

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Graduate SchoolBy DON MARTIN and WESLEY TETER

Tips fora successful and fulfillingstudent experience.

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ongratulations! You have started your gradu-ate program of study. All of your hard work,preparation and planning have paid off andyou are about to participate in orientation forincoming students, register for the upcom-ing term, and head to your first class.

Many students from India come to theUnited States for graduate study each year.That means that you will find other studentswho share your ethnic and cultural back-ground on campus. While it is nice to havea network of friends from your home coun-try, it is equally important to interact withpeople from different cultures and back-grounds—both for your intellectual growthand for the expansion of your social sphere.

Here are some tips for ensuring a suc-cessful and personally fulfilling student experience.

1. Set priorities andstick to them

This is your time. This is your gradu-ate degree. Determine what you wantfrom this experience. On one side of thespectrum, some graduate students willwant to spend time primarily reading,studying and doing research. On theother end, some students may not focussolely on academics. Wherever you fallon the spectrum, this is your experience.Only you can and should set the priori-ties. Graduate study offers a chance todelve into issues, ideas, authors, con-cepts, research and debate in ways youmay never experience again. While sociallife is important and advancing yourcareer is admirable, do not miss theopportunities you will have to broadenyour horizons intellectually.

2. Operate with realisticexpectations

Very few people we know are able to doeverything well, all the time. As you setyour priorities, be careful not to set themso high that you end up being unable to

meet them and, as a result, feel like youhave failed in some way. Think realisti-cally about what you can and cannot do.

3. If you need help, askDo you believe you need some aca-

demic help? Ask for it. Are you strugglingwith stress, anxiety or depression? Reachout. Are you experiencing financial diffi-culties? Talk about it. Holding things inand not addressing growing issues willonly result in more difficulty down theroad. Have you received a grade you donot believe to be fair? Remember, facultymembers are not perfect. They may makea mistake or simply overlook something.If you believe you know the faculty mem-ber well enough, go and speak with heror him directly about your concerns. Ifnot, you can consult with an academicadvisor or someone on campus who isidentified as a student advocate.

4. Be yourselfGraduate school enrollments are lower

than those of undergraduate institutions.The admissions process is more selective.This means that you are now rubbingelbows with some very capable, commit-ted, intelligent and goal-oriented individ-uals who are ready and willing to do what it takes to succeed. But keep this inmind: you were also admitted to be a

member of your academic community.The admissions committee saw in youwhat it did in your classmates. Be confi-dent of your talent and abilities, of yourthoughts and ideas. Learn from thosearound you, but do not allow yourself tofeel inferior or that you do not also havesomething to contribute.

5. Take advantage ofthe career placementoffice

Some graduate students may alreadyhave their future employment confirmedwhen they begin their studies. Most donot. That is why there is a career place-ment office on campus. Take advantageof the resources of this office. Do notwait until six months before graduationto reach out. The staff is willing and ableto assist you with a host of services,including résumé and interview prepara-tion, information on potential employers,“meet the recruiters” events and so muchmore. Take this service seriously. Afterall, you are paying for it.

6. Have fun and do notforget life outside theclassroom

The pressures of graduate school canbe great. There is endless studying,numerous deadlines, a desire to get good

MAY/JUNE 2013 39

The first few days at your U.S. college oruniversity can be truly exciting, but alsooverwhelming as you get organized and

settle in. You will want to let your familyknow you arrived safely, get to know thecampus, meet some new people, selectclasses and complete all the requirementsfor registration and enrollment. But don’tworry—you do not have to do all of this onyour own.

New student orientation programs are a

perfect opportunity to accomplish all of thesetasks, attend campus social events plannedespecially for new students, and help easethe transition to a new place. It is normal toexperience some level of culture shock whenyou first move to a new country. Relax andenjoy the ride.

Source: www.EducationUSA.info—Get Ready to Go (https://www.educationusa.info/)

First Daysat a U.S.University

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grades, preparation for career nextsteps, financial concerns, and more.It is important that you take time tosmell the roses and do things thatare fun and enjoyable. Go out for abite to eat. Take in a movie or the-ater performance. Attend a sportingevent. Do some volunteer work. Getaway for the weekend and explorethe United States.

7. Do not obsessabout grades, ranking

and reputation of yourinstitution

Success in life is not directlycorrelated with one’s grade pointaverage or with the ranking of hisor her institution. Employers aregoing to be most interested in whoyou are and how strong a matchthey believe you are to what theyare looking for. While academicperformance is a consideration, it isnot the final dealmaker or breakerby any means.

Also, rankings will definitely

fluctuate; they rarely stay the same.Focus on doing your best withintegrity. Work hard and beconfident of yourself and yourabilities.

Don Martin is a former admissionsdean at Columbia, University ofChicago and Northwestern; and authorof “Road Map for Graduate Study.”Wesley Teter is a former regional direc-tor for EducationUSA in New Delhi.He is also the editor of the multimediaoutreach campaign, 10 Steps to Studyin the United States.

ndian American astronaut Sunita Williams, whoholds the record for the longest spaceflight by awoman astronaut, interacted with students andspace enthusiasts during a weeklong visit toNew Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad andGandhinagar (right) in April. Williams sharedinteresting incidents from her life and cited herown example while telling students that no dream is too small.http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/williams-s.html

Highlights,” a popular Americanchildren’s publication, unveiled“Highlights Champs” and “Highlights Genies,” theirbest-selling kids’ magazines adapted for Indian childrenby publishers Delhi Press. Launching the magazines at the NewDelhi American Center in April, U.S. Ambassador Nancy J. Powell(below) talked about the importance of developing a love for readingamong children. According to Andrew Shafran (above left), vicepresident internationalat Highlights, the U.S.magazines reach morethan 2 million homeseach month andcelebrate children’sexperiences in differentcultures.

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hree Indian brothers received the Vital Voices Global Leadership Award from U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in March (far right). Ravi, Rishi and Nishi Kant, who started the nongovernmental organization Shakti Vahini to fight violence and injustice against women and childrenin 2001, won the “Solidarity Award” at an event at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Over the past decade, Shakti Vahini has rescued more than 2,000 people, 70 percent of whom were children. Vital Voices, which wasstarted by former first lady and secretary of state HillaryClinton in 1997, also holds Shakti Vahini as a model NGO,“one that addresses legal, advocacy and rescue missionssimultaneously,” says the Washington Post.http://ht.ly/jJyjl

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he Next Great Entrepreneur, a business plan competition forundergraduates in New Delhi and the national capital region, wasorganized in March to promote entrepreneurship and strengthenU.S.-India business ties. Three teams were honored—Life onWheels (left), a microfinance project supporting rickshawpullers; Laadli, which aims to produce low cost, reusablesanitary napkins for rural Indian women and Electric AutoRickshaws—in the General Business, Women’s Empowermentand Green Business categories. The event was organized by theU.S. Embassy, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce andIndustry and Indian Angel Network. The winners received theopportunity to be incubated as well as Rs. 1 lakh each.http://www.nextgreatentrepreneur.in

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Ordinary Women, E x t r a o r d i n a r y W o r k

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The U.S. ConsulateGeneral in Mumbaireceived an

overwhelming response to its annual online photocontest organized in honorof International Women’sDay and Women’s HistoryMonth in March. Fans wereinvited to send their entrieson “Ordinary Women,Extraordinary Work” via e-mail and Twitter. Winnerswere announced in April,and can be seen athttp://goo.gl/XBSNf

Left: “Bharti Sheed from a tribalhamlet in Pen, Raigad district wasselected for airhostess training in2007. She is one of the few girlsfrom Thakur tribe to havegraduated,” by Prashant Nadkar fromMumbai, won the first prize in theBest Story category. Below: “ ‘What we Believe, WeAchieve.’ The women in the photoare lifting up their ‘Kayak’ after a daylong practice for the Annual Regatta(A series of boat racing events),” byAkash M. Ajgaonkar from Pune, wonthe first prize for Best CreativeLighting.Bottom left: “Dekhne do dekhna haitamasha jinhe dur se, Ab hum utarchuke hai maindane jang main.... atWagah Border, Amritsar,” by AditiGajjar from Mumbai, won the prizefor Best Overall picture. Bottom right: “Motherhood,” byHarnesh Joshi, won the Judge’sFavorite award.