Issue date: 3/25/09 Section: News

As a woman in an administrative position, Diane Hoadley, dean of the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences, has had experience in issues from how to balance raising kids and working at a university to interacting with female students and seeing them make the transition into the business environment. (Erin Matheny / The Daily Eastern News)

This is part one of a three-part series exploring the lives of influential women in Coles County as part of Women's History and Awareness Month.


"How important it is to recognize our heroes and our she-roes." — Maya Angelou

March — in Coles County, this month marks the transition between snowdrifts and patches of wildflowers. This transition is perpetual, repeating year after year as the seasons flow in and out of each other.

But this transition, the metastasis of winter into spring, is not the only turning point that March represents. March is Women's History and Awareness Month.

The National Women's History Project describes the month of March as the continuous transition of women learning and becoming aware of themselves and thereby connecting with society not only as a formidable group, but equals. Through March, women around the world can take their small annual step forward to become an influential part of the community, according to the group.

"Recognizing the achievements of women in all facets of life — science, community, government, literature, art, sports, medicine — has a huge impact on the development of self-respect and new opportunities for girls and young women," said Paula Hammett, a founder of the organization.

In light of this month's dedication to women, The Daily Eastern News sat down with women around the community who work in Eastern's administration, Coles County and Charleston politics and business, and asked about the status of women in influential positions and the adversities they faced because of their gender. In a three-part series, their stories, advice and inferences will be displayed in reverence to this month's cause.


The women of administration

Bonnie Irwin, dean of the Honor's College, works mainly in guiding Eastern's scholars through their years of academia. She does not work directly with faculty, but oversees a number of programs and projects intertwined with the higher administration's policies. She also works in both national and state honors organizations.

Diane Hoadley, dean of the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences, oversees four schools: business, family and consumer sciences, technology, and military science, all complete with faculty, staff and students. Her responsibilities stretch into shepherding the office of philanthropy and the business solutions center.

Jill Nilsen, vice president for external relations, represents the university's state and national image to external constituents. She is the face of Eastern to the alumni, the board of trustees and donors. She also oversees communications through radio and television in WEIU.

All three have different requirements in their positions, but all three have something unique in common. They all are women who have worked successfully in influential positions on Eastern's campus and represent the university to the community.

"I feel I work externally as a liaison to the community expressing our campus goals in integrative learning, research and outreach," Irwin said of her responsibilities.

She sees herself as a role model to her students and to the community, emphasizing hard work and taking advantage of opportunities through ambitious exploration.

Hoadley has never really thought of herself as a role model for women individually but sees her responsibilities as "a person who supports the continued growth of my program."

"I don't see myself as role model too much, but I guess that I am and that I should," she said.

Nilsen said she hopes her reach goes beyond women to "all young professionals." She said it is important for men and women to both recognize a female as a role model if she works hard and is responsible.


Three success stories

All three women have similar success stories. They started as faculty in respective fields and worked diligently in their positions. Perhaps they happened to show that work ethic in jobs that were presented to them or perhaps they untiringly sought after their "next step." Either way, they all agree that it was a strong dedication to their work that enabled them to climb the ladder at Eastern.

Nilsen was one to trivialize her movement in Eastern administration, saying most of the positions fell into her lap through interim and it turned out she liked them. In the end, it made her the sole female voice in the vice presidential positions.

"When I was asked to stay on in that position for the permanent, it was what I wanted," she said. "I liked the responsibility and the influence I could have on the community."

Hoadley and Irwin both described their success in their fields as hard work and diligence aimed at climbing the ladder.

But to Hoadley, her move to Eastern in the position of dean did not seem possible until her children were in college.

Irwin said that if she had chosen to have a family, it would have made her position "extremely hard." Instead, she decided to focus her attention on her career without the hindrances of balancing a family.

Nilsen traded her role as the primary care giver to her husband, who was the one at home most with their three boys. She said she recognized that balancing the traditional mother role and her position and ambitions was difficult, but she was still an active mother in her children's lives.

"It balances out. They are used to being with dad more and they see their friends with mom more, so they see both ways as possible," she said. "They just grow up with an equal perspective."

Even with their many responsibilities, these women have said their lives are successful and they are happy to represent the gender in a strong and responsible way.


'Presence for strong women'

All three women credit their success in their fields to Eastern's environment. Eastern's background and culture lends itself to women. Through this, Irwin, Hoadley and Nilsen found their places among the Eastern community.

"Eastern nurtures women in their leadership roles," Irwin said.

She said that half of the deans at the university are women and those who want to move on to higher positions have always been encouraged by higher administration. She said that because of this she has never experienced gender bias. The explanation, she said, is in the core of Eastern. Hoadley agreed.

"Because of education background of this school, Eastern has a strong presence of having strong women on campus," Hoadley said. "I mean, look at the names of the buildings and you will find that they are mostly named after women."

Hoadley and Nilsen both mentioned that Eastern has a record of supporting women in positions of higher education administration that go against male dominance. The first dean of technology was a woman, Hoadley said.

Nilsen also explained that female students are encouraged to attend Eastern.

"I think Eastern sends a message that it cares and supports women's rights and women's issues through its implementation of women's studies, (Sexual Assault Counseling and Information Services) and other female-aimed groups," Nilsen said.

"It is a community that allows women to flourish, with many opportunities," she added.


What women face today

But all three women agree that women as a gender need to recognize their own adversities and hindrances.

"I think the adversities women face today come from within," Irwin said. "There is a lack of ambition to move beyond what they are used to and explore."

She explained that 70 percent of her students are female, and as she works with them, she sees a sense of ambivalence to educational opportunities. Citing their small-town upbringing as a possible cause for their fear of exploration, she tries to break her students away from their fear and get them to explore.

Hoadley sees women holding themselves back by not representing their skills to the fullest. In an economy with such high competition, she said, women need to be ambitious and show off their assets.

"You need to make a valuable contribution to who you are working for," Hoadley said. "The only fair thing is to hire the best person for the job. Female? Male? It shouldn't have anything to do with it."

However, Hoadley does recognize that many employers continue to hire men over women despite their resumes. Irwin recognizes there is still a pay gap in male to female positions. Nilsen thinks it is up to women to secure their own rights.

"We need to continue to strive to have a place at the table and a voice in making decisions so that women's views, a balanced view, continues to be represented," Nilsen said. "We need to continue to ensure women have opportunities to compete for jobs at the same level as men through broader candidate pools and equal pay."

"Women need to realize that nothing should be handed to anyone. But if you work hard enough and know that you are responsible for your actions and the outcomes, you will succeed," Nilsen added.


Transitions in the community

All three women regard their roles at Eastern as roles that work with the community. But, they emphasize, the role does not lie solely with them. It is the female student body that represents the next generation of women, they said.

In this role, Irwin, Hoadley and Nilsen believe women should ensure their own destinies in a time where opportunities are flourishing. Above all, they believe women are responsible for their own futures and that requires speaking up.

"My generation of women is coming to the end of their professional careers," Nilsen said. "It is up to the next women to be diligent in making sure that they are provided the same opportunities."


Krystal Moya can be reached at 581-7942 or at ksmoya@eiu.edu.

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