As March marks Women’s History Month, Villanova has taken the time to highlight and uplift female voices on campus. The real highlights have come from the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women’s Leadership, which has been using Instagram and LinkedIn to create small bios on female Villanova students doing research on and off campus.
The Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women’s Leadership describes itself by a primary goal of “…foster[ing] women’s advancement through education, advocacy, community-building and the collaborative creation of new knowledge.”
The Institute, located on the second floor of Tolentine Hall, took time to ask female researchers on Villanova’s campus what Women’s History Month means to them.
The McNulty Institute started the month by highlighting senior Glory Wells, a senior Communication major and presidential scholar. Wells has participated in a number of roles on campus, including being a marketing and communication assistant at the Villanova School of Business.
She is also the Founder and President of the Association of Black Communication Students, as well as many other extracurriculars on campus. The Anne McNulty Institute commended Wells for her work within the Communications department, as well as leading the Association of Black Communication Students to their first ever CultureCon. The Institute describes Wells as a student who “…created a space for students to develop their creative talents and access professional opportunities.”
Talking on Women’s History Month, Wells noted the intersectionality that has to be considered when talking about what it means to be a woman.
“As a Black woman…my intersectional identity makes me more vulnerable to these issues,” Wells said. “This month is a time for women to shine, to be recognized and to reflect on the challenges we’ve faced while uniting to share our stories.”
In her endeavors, Wells has expanded access to professional opportunities for students and promoting creativity for Black students at Villanova.
Next, the Institute shed light on the research of environmental science and geography major Emma Spangler. Spangler, a junior at Villanova, has been heavily involved with sustainability research, serving multiple roles within the Office of Sustainability and the Waste & Recycling Office. Studying under Dr. Steven Goldsmith, the Institute wrote that Spangler is “…analyzing how different environmental conditions influence various types of debris.” She examines plastic degradation and how toxic metals can accumulate on surfaces.
She is also currently a student research fellow within the Goldsmith Laboratory, where she does much of her research. With March also being Women’s History Month, it’s a month of great importance to Spangler.
“[It’s] deeply personal to me,” Spangler said. “I naturally took on the role of guiding and supporting my sisters. In doing so, I became even more aware of the importance of strong female role models.”
The McNulty Institute also highlighted senior Abby Maroun, a senior philosophy major with minors in psychology and English. Maroun, while involved in campus with NOVAdance and Phi Sigma Tau, spent the spring of her junior semester studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, where she conducted research on the experiences of women in Sweden and Denmark who live with HIV. Of her research, the McNulty Institute says that her “…literature revealed four major themes to us: feelings upon diagnosis, impacts of stigma, sexual health and wellbeing and fertility, family planning and motherhood.”
One of the most significant parts of Maroun’s research was the group of six women she worked with hailing from the U.S. and Sweden. Maroun also noted the importance of looking up to the women around you.
“Our mothers, teachers, coworkers, friends and strangers,” Maroun said. “There are so many incredibly smart, talented and kind women in this world.”
Lastly, the McNulty Institute acknowledged the research of sophomore Adriana Fernandez, a biochemistry major who hopes to work in genetics and microbiology. Fernandez works under Dr. Jacob Elmer, Ph.D., researching development of “a polycistronic expression strategy for multimeric proteins.” Doing a number of experiments utilizing chromatography to E. coli, Fernandez works on gene expression and protein litigation and separation. With her work in STEM, Fernandez also spoke about the women who are forgotten in the history of STEM.
“Science history…hides many bright women who have helped advance our understanding of the scientific world,” Fernandez said. “But have not received the recognition they deserve.”
The goal of the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute has not only been to highlight the achievements of these four brilliant students, but also to make known the opportunities that female students at Villanova have across all disciplines. Whether it is in STEM, business or academic research, the McNulty Institute is determined to let young women know their potential impact and what resources they have on Villanova’s campus.
