Month-long activities at MSU examine 'women living well'

Contact: Maridith Geuder

Nutrition, financial management and fitness are among topics being highlighted during March as part of Women's Month activities at Mississippi State.

Sponsored by the university President's Commission on the Status of Women, activities centered on the theme of "Women Living Well" include lectures, workshops, a national videoconference, and an awards luncheon recognizing outstanding campus and community persons.

The March 29 awards luncheon, which also announces the 2000 Outstanding Mississippi Woman, begins at noon in Bost Extension Center auditorium. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased in advance by telephoning (662) 325-0812.

Throughout March, the Joe Frank Sanderson Center is offering free fitness testing and nutritional analysis. Specific information or appointments may be obtained by calling 325-8964.

Dates and times of other events include, among others:

--March 15, noon, faculty panel examining issues for women in graduate school, Colvard Union faculty lounge.

--March 16, noon. Raygene Paige of the MSU Extension Service discussing women of color living well, union faculty lounge.

--March 16, 3 p.m, Women's Studies Program Lecture Series sponsoring an address by Susan Draper of New York University on the politics of breast feeding, Center for Women's Studies suite in Rice Hall.

--March 22, noon. Bryan Foods home economist Henri Sue Kennard highlighting Southern family food favorites with a healthy twist, union faculty lounge.

--March 23, noon. MSU home economist Wanda Dodson examining the applications of food as medicines, union faculty lounge.

--March 28, noon. Alyson Hardin, a certified financial planner, surveying women's financial health matters, union faculty lounge.

Titled "International Females on Southern U.S. Campuses," the national teleconference will be broadcast in segments over three days to the Wise Center's Tait-Butler Classroom. On the 27th, Johnetta Cole, president emerita of Spelman College in Atlanta, will give the keynote address at 4:30 p.m. The telecast continues with an 8 a.m.-4 p.m. session on the 28th and a concluding 10 a.m.-noon program on the 29th. All are sponsored by the university's Women's Studies Program.

Two morning workshops on the 29th led by North Mississippi Health Services professionals in the Bost auditorium will involve women's health issues. Dr. Alan Erickson's presentation at 9 on osteoporosis will be followed by free health screenings at 9:45. At 10:30, Dr. Lynn Thomas-Smith leads a session on women and depression.

For more information about events or MSU Women's Month, telephone Shay McDonall at (662) 325-3359.