International Women’s Day as part of Women’s History Month, a celebration every March since the 1980s. From cultural events to group bonding activities, this year’s festivities reflected Middlebury’s commitment to honoring women’s achievements and voices.
The Chinese Society collaborated with Middlebury's Chinese department to launch a series of events to bring Chinese perspectives to women empowerment.
They hosted a calligraphy event in Nü Shu, a script only used by women from rural communities in China. Instructed by self-taught Chinese Society members, students engaging in the event learned how to write Nü Shu and designed bookmarks with meaningful words or quotes related to women’s empowerment.
Yuzhuo Wang ’28, who helped organize the calligraphy event, explained the choice of Nü Shu for International Women’s Day.
“Nü Shu speaks for women’s stories,” she said in an interview with The Campus. “It has sharp, vertical strokes that convey strength and desire.”
In addition to the calligraphy event, the Chinese Society and the Chinese Department screened a Chinese movie “Send Me to the Clouds” (2019), directed and written by female director Teng Congcong. Chinese widespread social media consider it “the most feminist-conscious film in China in the past decade.”
Thomas Moran, the John D. Berninghausen professor of Chinese and department chair, described why his department chose to screen the movie last week.
“It offers a contemporary look at China, which isn’t often seen in film. It’s a decent choice for a feminist-themed screening without being too intense or depressing for a celebration like International Women’s Day,” he said.
The Russian and East European Society also celebrated the holiday by organizing the event “International Women's Day: Write a Letter!” in the Anderson Freeman Center (AFC). Suggested by Tamari Kuzanashvili ’27, an international student from Georgia, the event provided space and materials for students to write a letter to any woman in their life.
Fueled by free snacks and drinks, participants carefully wrote their letters. Noemi Zendejas Rodriguez ’26, a member of the Russian and Eastern European Society, reflected on her experience at the event.
“It was lovely to see students take a moment to sit down and write kind and thoughtful words to an important woman in their life. I think it was a great way for students to reflect on the women in their lives, whether it was their mother, grandmother, professor, etc., and appreciate and acknowledge them,” Zendejas Rodriguez wrote in an email to The Campus.
Victoria Perez ’27 attended the event and shared her perspective on the significance of International Women’s Day.
“In Mexico, this day is about activism and consciousness. Given the high rate of femicides, March 8th is a powerful day of remembrance and protest. Women march to be the voice of those who no longer have one,” she wrote. “Some schools even participate in symbolic acts where women refrain from attending class or work to highlight the impact of their absence.”
To celebrate this month, Middlebury’s chapter of The Women’s Network launched a new series celebrating female business owners in Middlebury. Their first spotlight was on Becky Dayton, owner of Vermont Book Shop.
In the group’s Instagram post, Becky Dayton shared her encouragement for young female entrepreneurs.
“If I were to give one piece of advice to young women entrepreneurs, it would be simply: believe in yourself. You’ve gotten this far on your own ambition and intelligence. Onward.”
President of Middlebury’s chapter of The Women’s Network Rose Garza ’27 shared that the inspiration behind this series was to showcase that success doesn’t always follow a set formula.
“We hope this series will inspire others to consider alternative routes to success by showing that with determination, following your passion can lead to remarkable achievements,” Garza wrote in a message to The Campus.
The Women's Network’s Middlebury chapter has held multiple discussions on how to create equitable environments for women in business, leadership and networking. So far, the organization has planned bonding events like a painting night and a “Galentine’s” launch meeting with its members.
“I think being able to hear from not only Middlebury alumni but specifically female alumni is so integral to learning how to navigate corporate spaces and refreshing to hear a female perspective,” Garza wrote.
This Wednesday, they will continue to honor Women's History Month by hosting a Break the Ice event on Thursday, March 13 at the Kenyon Arena. There will be a discussion on accessibility and inclusion in professional sports settings and a skating session for participants
Editor’s Note: Managing Editor Madeleine Kaptein ’25.5 contributed reporting to this article.
