PERSPECTIVES The Official Publication of Gamma Sigma Sigma National Service Sorority Volume 51, Issue 3
Spring 2005
2005 Woman Of The Year Did you know that fewer than 5% of America’s National Historic Landmarks honor women or women’s contributions? Women’s history is mostly an untold story in our schools. Very little is in our history books about the contributions of women in our country. Alice Paul was no exception to this historical slight. Paulsdale, Alice Paul’s birthplace, once threatened by surrounding residential development, is a circa 1800 farmhouse located on 6.5 acres in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Paulsdale is not just a New Jersey treasure, but also an American treasure. The Alice Paul Institute is now recognized as an advocate in New Jersey and beyond for the preservation of women’s historic sites. Through Barbara Irvine’s efforts the Alice Paul Institute has been preserved and has also helped to bring about the saving of other generally unrecognized women’s sites throughout the country. Barbara Irvine was nominated by the Philadelphia Alumni Chapter as our 2005 Woman of the Year for her continued efforts to bring women’s history to the forefront. Barbara has made an incredible contribution to the preservation of women’s history, women’s historical sites and the education of the public about the life and work of Alice Paul. Barbara started her road towards this by attending Roanoke College graduating with a BS in Chemistry. She attended the University of Virginia for her masters in counseling and doctoral studies in career development at Virginia Polytechnic and State University. Barbara has provided leadership for over 20 years in the areas of education, human rights, historic preservation and economic and community development. She has done all of this work as a volunteer.
Her biggest success came with the creation of the Alice Paul Institute, an organization made to help preserve a specific and unique historic resource that now serves as an ongoing leadership development center for women and girls. Barbara’s significant energies then focused on the creation of a National Collaborative of Women’s History Sites. Serving as volunteer Project Director, Barbara secured money from the National Parks Service to launch this newly formed organization. Recently, HBO aired an original movie, Iron Jawed Angels, which told the story of Alice Paul’s work for suffrage and the passage of the 19th amendment to the US Constitution. As a national service sorority, we are thankful for Barbara’s continued efforts on behalf of women’s history. I hope you will join us in Cleveland for our 2005 National Convention to help honor Barbara Irvine as Gamma Sigma Sigma’s 2005 Woman of the Year.
In This Issue 2005 Woman Of The Year 2005 Nominating Committee Slate Growth Through Giving Lynne’s Lines Collegiate and Alumni News Meet Our New District III Director 2005 Convention Information Website Information National Jeweler NBD/Staff Contact Information Information for Recent Alumni Upcoming Events
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