A Women's World

by Michaela Browne

Thursday, March 8, was an important day. It was a day of celebration of the strongest people on earth: women. This day is called International Women’s Day. It is a wonderful day of gratitude to all the women in our lives that help shape the world around us. It is a look back at the accomplishments that women have made throughout history.

I recently had the opportunity to volunteer for a speaker series event with Tessa Trelz on March 15, a week after International Women’s Day. Tessa is an attorney at Armstrong Teasdale. Tessa talked about inspirational women, how there is a silver lining in situations when life knocks us down, and how not to be afraid to seize opportunities when they arise. One of Tessa’s personal stories was that she was waitlisted for law school at Wash U and decided to go to SLU. Although at the time, she saw this as a bad thing, it ended up being good because she met her husband there. She mentioned inspiring women such as her mother, Sandra Day O’Conner, Madam C. J. Walker, and Elizabeth Warren, and how these women were able to claw and fight their way through adversity and obstacles that would detour many from achieving their goals. However, in doing so, they overcame with remarkable success stories. Her eloquent speech reminded all of us that everyone, including these wonderful women, have an element of self-doubt, which can be overcome through perseverance.

I am surrounded by inspirational women in my life including women in my family like my mom, women I have met through Ambassadors like Amy Beaman, Coordinator of University Events, Amanda Wilens, Manager of University Events, and Tessa Trelz, as well as some amazing professors, and so many more. I look up to all of these women and their accomplishments. I am grateful to be a part of speaker events like Tessa’s where women are praised and remembered.

It is important to let the women around you know how appreciated they are, not only on International Women’s Day, but when any opportunity arises. Today, I would like to thank the women in my life for inspiring me every day. I challenge everyone reading this to thank a woman in their life.

Ambassadors to Assist with World Ecology Award Presentation

by Jonathan Klunk

The Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center in the Department of Biology at the University of Missouri–St. Louis recognizes individuals who have contributed to the conservation of biodiversity within the environment with the World Ecology Award. This year on April 20th the Ambassadors will assist with the presentation of this honor to Dr. Edward O. Wilson at the St. Louis Zoo.

In 1955, E.O. Wilson received his Ph.D. from Harvard University and has since authored twenty–eight publications, established the disciplines of evolutionary psychology and sociobiology, and formulated the theory of island biogeography. He has served as a consultant for the American Museum of Natural History, the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and the New York Botanical Garden. Additionally, he has been bestowed with two Pulitzer Prizes, the National Medal of Science, and the Crafoord Prize of the Royal Swedish Academy. In 1995, he was selected as one of the twenty–five most influential Americans by Time Magazine. Today, E.O. Wilson is the Pellegrino University Research Professor Emeritus and Honorary Curator in Entomology at Harvard University, where he conducts research on the biogeography and systematics of ants.