Distinguished Women’s week

Northwood Colleagues:

It’s Distinguished Women’s week at Northwood University (the link to view the press release about the program and the events can be found here). In Dallas on Saturday, November 3, we are celebrating significant female movers and shakers from all over the country, from all sorts of endeavors. While this weekend is full of festivities, behind the scenes and in the months to come important relationships are being forged – all for the benefit of our students.  Our DWs serve as mentors; they provide internships and employment opportunities, and sometimes even funding to help us continue in our mission to develop the future leaders of a global, free-enterprise society.

Women have a strong tradition in education.  We all can remember those women, our own teachers, who held us to high standards and expected nothing less than the best from us.  From one-room schoolhouses to universities, we owe a debt of gratitude to the women who have educated America.

Much is happening at Northwood today that supports the needs of women, both in the educational and in the business sector.  Recently our community came together to fund the Afghan women’s project. Twelve brave women, with potential risk, came to the Michigan campus to learn about business plans and entrepreneurship.  Their mission back home is to be successful and share their knowledge with other women.  Afghanistan has been at war for over 30 years.  The male population is decimated.  These women made a choice to stand up – for their lives, for their children, for their country.  We are proud and honored to have played a part in their future.

MindPrime on the Michigan campus meets monthly for professional education and personal development.  Inspired by the American Council on Education (ACE), our representative to ACE, Rhonda Anderson, brought the idea back to campus and the group has been meeting monthly, some 60-80 strong, for over two years.  This month’s meeting will feature Sondra Shaw-Hardy, co-founder of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute.  Shaw-Hardy will address the impact of philanthropic actions and volunteerism.

The Northwood University International Auto Show (NUIAS) on the Michigan campus is completely run by our students.  This year’s Chair Tiffany Nabozny, her Vice Chair Nikki Paparella, Promotions Chair Arlie Jirasek, the E-Board, and all the captains and teams produced an event that was an extraordinary success.   The automotive world has long been male dominated, but I would advise the world to look out – we’ve got some up-and-coming young women here at Northwood who are about to take the industry by storm!

This week’s message salutes all the distinguished women of Northwood – from our professors and instructors to those in an administrative capacity.  Whether in front of the classroom or serving the myriad needs of students immersed in their university education, the women of Northwood play an integral role in the quality and success of our organization.

Keith A. Pretty, J.D.
President and CEO
Northwood University
4000 Whiting Drive
Midland, MI 48640
989.837.4203 (phone)
989.832.9590 (fax)