Honoring Women’s History Month at The University of Olivet

The recipients of the Yellow Rose Award.

OLIVET, Mich. — In honor of Women's History Month, The University of Olivet, specifically theHiram Archer Student Success Academy (HASSA), partnered with United Olivet to hold “The Power of Words: Building Culture of Belonging” immediately following The Yellow Rose Award ceremony in the Mott auditorium on Wednesday, March 18.

The audience at the celebration with people even joining via Zoom.

“Understanding how women have contributed to the world is the most important thing. We have always been present and sometimes overlooked, and to have an event that takes a moment to represent the women who are the backbone and the support system is important,” Brittany Burch, housing coordinator and first-year navigator said.

“The Power of Words: Building Cultures of Belonging" featured three speakers: Dr. Brittany Turner, director of social work and BSW program, Dr. KayDee Perry, provost, and Dr. Linda Logan, vice-president and chief inclusion officer. Each speaker talked about learning how to build a sense of belonging.

The speakers at the event at the podium giving their speech.

“Zonta International gave out yellow roses in recognition of women who are strong at leadership, service, and advancement of other women, and those values are core to what our institution is about,” Logan said. 

The Yellow Rose Award ceremony was to honor women who have made an impact on campus. Everyone who received an award was given a yellow rose, a certification, and a pin that says “make a difference.” In order to receive the award, the person or program had to be nominated. Once nominated, they would attend the award ceremony and receive the award. At the ceremony, the nominator would give a speech on why the nominee deserved this award and would then present the award to the nominee. 

The Yellow Rose Award ceremony.

“It makes us feel seen and that we actually do connect with the community,” Sophia Spahr, treasurer of Nu Gamma Xi said. “And our core values have always been women of a higher standard, so I think that's really meaningful for us to be honored for that,” Jaelyn Weber, vice-president of Nu Gamma Xi, said. 

The University of Olivet has been doing this ceremony since 2014, and it has changed over the years. The first year the school did this award, only 2 people received the award, and the hosts went to the recipients' place of work on campus and presented the award to them. This year, there were twenty recipients, and the ceremony was held in one place.

According to United Olivet’s campus-wide mass email on Tuesday, Mar. 17 “The yellow rose symbolizes hope, courage, and light, reminding us that advancing equality requires compassion, persistence, and servant leadership.”

According to National Women's History Museum, Women’s History Month was originally a weeklong celebration in Santa Rosa, California, starting in 1978. The week was always the week of March 8 due to that day being International Women's Day. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter made the first proclamation dedicating the week of March 8 as Women's History Week. Later in 1987, Congress passed Public Law 100-9, designating March as Women’s History Month.