CSUB to celebrate International Women’s Day

University holding first in-person event in two years next month

By California State University, Bakersfield

February 23^rd, 2023

International Women’s Day on March 8 will give the campus community at California State University, Bakersfield an opportunity to come together to celebrate the achievements and leadership of women from around the globe.

The university’s Organization of Women Leaders (OWL) will host a free in-person event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center’s Solario de Fortaleza. The event is part of a global celebration held in conjunction with Women’s History Month.

The celebration will be held in-person again for the first time in two years.

“We’re very happy to have it on campus again,” said OWL Co-Chair Marina Manzano. “We really want it to be a cultural celebration that brings people together. We were able to do some creative things with our virtual events, but I don’t think anything tops being together and in person.”

The event will feature a presentation on equity from Chief Diversity Officer and Special Assistant to the President Claudia Catota in connection with the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day celebration — Embrace Equity.

The event will also include a storytelling session with Assistant Professor of Theatre Amy Ressler, a seated yoga session as well as a presentation from Dr. Jane Dong, dean of the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering.

In addition to these sessions, student art and posters of noteworthy women from throughout history will be displayed in the Solario. Attendees will also have the opportunity to write their thoughts on how to embrace equity on sticky notes that will be placed on a wall-hanging in the facility.

Manzano hopes attendees will be open-minded and take advantage of this opportunity to learn something new.

“There are women from countries all over the world who are doing amazing things,” she said. “We want to highlight those women and show our students that no matter where you’re from or the color of your skin, you always have opportunities — you can always strive to do great things.”

The Organization of Women Leaders is an affinity group on campus whose mission is to foster the development of women. For more information about the organization and the International Women’s Day event, visit their CSUB webpage.