Special Events

During the Then, Now, Next: The 50th Anniversary of Women at Providence College, the College community hosted events and activities designed to empower and educate, while celebrating the voices and contributions of women.

Past Events

50th Anniversary of Women: Circles of Friar Women
Nov. – June | Virtual

This exciting program celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Women at Providence College. Led by alumnae facilitators, Circles of Friar Women was designed to bring women from across the decades together for meaningful discussion in an effort to build community, confidence, and inspiration.

Each circle hosted 8-10 Friar alumnae. While all circles began their journeys with foundational group dynamics activities, each had a specific theme to discuss throughout the sessions. The circles met monthly from November to June and participants were asked to commit to meeting once per month. Some circles were virtual and others in-person, based on region.

Commencement
May 22 | Dunkin Donuts Center

Providence College confered degrees upon students in the Class of 2022.

BIG EAST Conference Commissioner Val Ackerman, J.D. ’20Hon. was the featured speaker at Providence College’s 104th Commencement Exercises. Learn more about our speaker.

PCSB Dean’s Symposium
April 25  | Ryan Center Atrium

Kelly Grier is EY’s US Chair and Managing Partner and Americas Managing Partner, leading more than 81,000 people in 31 countries, with annual revenue of $21.2 billion.She chairs the US Executive Committee and Americas Operating Executive and represents EY in regulatory relationships. Her leadership portfolio includes membership on EY’s Global Executive and Global Practice Group. She serves as Executive Sponsor for EY’s focus on diversity and inclusiveness.During her 30-year tenure at EY, Kelly has had extensive experience working around the globe as a client service partner and senior advisor on Fortune 500 Audit and Consulting clients. Kelly is now a senior consulting partner on several of EY’s largest accounts. Previously, she was Vice Chair, Central Regional Managing Partner, where she led 10,000 professionals across 15 states and 17 offices.Kelly also served as Americas Vice Chair, Talent, where she focused on creating an exceptional experience for all EY people in the Americas, and served on the Global Talent Executive.

Recognized for her work, she was named to the Fortune Most Powerful Women in Business list in 2018, 2019, and 2020; 2019 Crain’s 50 Most Powerful Women in New York list; and the 2019 and 2020 Most Powerful Women in the Accounting Profession list by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and CPA Practice Advisor magazine. Additionally, she has been recognized as an Anti-Defamation League’s “Woman of Achievement,” as well as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. Kelly was also named to the Forbes 2021 CEO Next list of leaders and visionaries.

Outside of EY, Kelly is the Board of Governors Chair for the Center for Audit Quality (CAQ). She co-chairs the Trilateral Task Force on Global Capitalism in Transition, an international task force on the future of capitalism, and serves on the CEO Action for Racial Equality Governing Committee. Kelly also serves on the boards for CECP, Carnegie Hall, Catalyst, Partnership for New York City, the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and the Ravinia Festival. She is also a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and the Chicago Network. Kelly received a BA in Accounting from Saint Mary’s College.

How Kelly is building a better working world “I am honored and humbled to lead an innovative, dynamic and fast-paced organization at an exciting time with an unrelenting focus on helping clients address their toughest challenges and realize their greatest ambitions. At EY, through high-performance teaming and inclusive leadership, we seize the opportunities of our changing world as we keep asking better questions to fulfill our purpose of building a better working world.”

PC Women Light the Way
April 22 | ’64 Hall

This special program celebrated the impact that women have had on Providence College and how they have empowered the current generation of women to leave its own mark on history.

This half day of events began with lunch and keynote speaker Natalie Silverstein ’91, acclaimed author of Simple Acts: The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back. An illustrious alumni panel and table discussions with current students followed. The day concluded with a networking reception and the option to attend Mass in St. Dominic Chapel. This event was complimentary.

9 to 5
April 8-11 and 22-24 | Angell Blackfriars Theater

9 to 5 The Musical, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and book by Patricia Resnick and an all-female creative team, is based on the seminal 1980 hit movie. Set in the late 1970s. This hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era is outrageous, thought-provoking, and even a little romantic.

Pushed to the boiling point, three female coworkers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. In a hilarious turn of events, Violet, Judy and Doralee live out their wildest fantasy – giving their boss the boot! While Hart remains “otherwise engaged,” the women give their workplace a dream makeover, taking control of the company that had always kept them down.

The Spring Annual Christie Distinguished Catholic Faith Lecture, Immaculée Ilibagiza
April 20 | Ruane 105

Immaculée Ilibagiza was born and raised in a small village in Rwanda, Africa. Her first book, Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust (2006), is an autobiographical work detailing how she survived during the Rwanda genocide.

In Left to Tell, Immaculée Ilibagiza shares of her experience during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. She survived hidden for 91 days with seven other women in a small bathroom, no larger than 3 feet (0.91 m) by 4 feet (1.2 m) (an area of 12 square feet). The bathroom was concealed in a room behind a wardrobe in the home of a Hutu pastor. During the genocide, most of Ilibagiza’s family (her mother, her father, and her two brothers Damascene and Vianney) was killed by Hutu Interahamwe soldiers. Besides herself, the only other survivor in her family was her brother Aimable, who was studying out of the country in Senegal and did not know of the genocide. Ilibagiza shares how her Catholic faith guided her through her ordeal and describes her eventual forgiveness and compassion toward her family’s killers.

Providence College Galleries presents: Community Perspectives on Women and Gender in PC’s Art Collection
April 9 | Smith Center for the Arts

Providence College has produced many an art curator, most of them women and many of whom have gone on to curate for and run some of the most acclaimed museums and galleries in the world.

In this Pecha Kucha style roundtable, four PC alums and curators—Samantha Cataldo, Kaelynn Maloney, Helena Gómez de Córdoba, and Catherine Little Bert—discussed their careers in the art museum and gallery world. This program closed out PCG’s series of events. This program coincided with a networking event for PC women alums who work in creative industries.

We hosted a cocktail reception in the Smith Center for the Arts lobby and unveil a new artwork purchased for the College’s collection in commemoration of 50 Years of Women at Providence College.

Women Philosopher Lecture Series
Women in Philosophy: A Roundtable Discussion
April 6 | Ruane 206

PC philosophy professors and majors (past and present) gathered for an informal conversation about the joys of studying, teaching, and embracing the philosophical life.

Fiondella Lecture 2022
Women in Tech: Sponsorship, Mentorship, and Allyship
April 5 | Ruane 105

The lecture panel was co-moderated by Catalina Betancur Velez ’23 & Nicholas Espinal ’23.

PC Alumni Book Club: Mrs. Dalloway
March 30 | Zoom

The PC alumni book club celebrated Women’s History month by discussing the most recent reading selection, Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf. The book covers themes of lost love, life decisions, and mental illness, and follows the journey of Clarissa Dalloway navigating the intersection between her past and present through her social inclinations.

The conversation was led by author and associate professor of English at Providence College, Alison Espach.

Women Who Lead with Care Alumni Panel Event in Honor of 50 Years of Women at Providence College
March 28 | ’64 Hall 

The Women Who Lead with Care event was organized by the School of Professional Studies, with input from Women’s and Gender Studies, and in honor and celebration of 50 Years of Women at Providence College.

This event featured a panel of PC alumni in the fields of Social Work, Education, and Health, Health Policy, and Healthcare, and will be facilitated by current PC students whose majors incorporate Social Work, Health Policy and Management, Elementary and Special Education, Secondary Education, and Women’s and Gender Studies.

The alumni panel was followed by break out, round table discussions, also facilitated by current students,  wherein students, alumni, faculty, and staff came together to discuss the urgency, timeliness, value, and essential contribution of these fields and professions, the current challenges confronting them, and avenues of additional support for and recognition of these fields and professions and those who work in them.

A reception closed out the event, following the panel and round table discussions.

Students: Bingo during Celebrate 50 Years of Women in the Spring Week
March 25 | McPhail’s

Bingo in McPhail’s to celebrate 50 years of women at PC. 

Student Congress Alumni Panel
March 22 | Ruane LL05

Attendees met with alumni who served on congress with students and hear about their career paths

Students: Yoga Class during Celebrate 50 Years of Women in the Spring Week
March 22 | Concannon Fitness Studio

Yoga

Students: Celebrate 50 Years of Women in the Spring
March 21 | Slavin Atrium

Attendees celebrated spring with cookies, flowers, succulents and posting about celebrating women

Return to the Well, Alumnae Day of Retreat
March 19 | Chapel, CCDS

PC invited women alumni to “return to the well” and join us for a day of spiritual reflection and community led by a national speaker and songwriter, Liz Cotrupi Pfunder, ’08. This anniversary year provides the perfect occasion to reflect upon and encounter anew—like the Samaritan woman—the love of Christ and His thirst for your love. The retreat offered a unique chance to reflect, reconnect with fellow friars, and to be renewed.

The day included fun fellowship and prayer opportunities, Eucharistic Adoration, beautiful music, lunch, Mass at St. Dominic’s Chapel, small group discussions, and overall strengthening of the P.C. sisterhood. Oh and let’s not forget a cocktail hour to conclude the retreat!

We encouraged alumnae attending the retreat to go forth that evening and spend more time connecting by enjoying dinner in Providence. Feel free to make it a reunion weekend.

The well of Christ’s love is deep and He wants to meet you this weekend to renew your spirit on multiple levels. We will pray that you can and will say “Yes” to this exciting invitation.

Liz Cotrupi Pfunder is a Catholic musician, songwriter, and speaker who has been travelling nationally to spread the love of Christ for the past 10+ years. With a Master’s Degree in Theology, music from her original album “Unglued,” and a passion for worship, she seeks to see lives changed and hearts transformed by Jesus. She has ministered at numerous Steubenville Youth Conferences, LifeTeen Camps, Diocesan Faith Rallies, and retreats for a wide variety of ages. Being married to her husband Bob for almost 8 years now, Liz feels incredibly blessed to follow her number one vocation at home in Rumford, RI as a wife and mother. Together they share daughter Gracie-Anne, 6, who also loves to sing and dance-particularly in the kitchen to very loud music! They hope to be a family of Saints one day, though they admit the journey is quite messy and filled with dirty dishes. Come Holy Spirit!

Holly Taylor Coolman has been at PC for 13 years. She teaches theology, and is currently Chair of the Theology Dept. She and her husband have five children, all of whom came to their family by adoption. She is the author of a number of essays, both scholarly and popular.

Committee Contact: Sister Ann Klein, Lauren Felix, Olivia Ferri

Murphy Healy Lecture in Irish Culture
March 16 | Smith Arts Center, Ryan Concert Hall

Attendees gathered for the inaugural Murphy Healy Lecture in Irish Culture with featured guest Christine Kinealy, Ph.D, Professor of History – Quinnipiac University Director of Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute. Her presentation contrasted with most tragic depictions of the Great Famine, focusing instead on the men and women who risked their lives to care for the sick and starving. This event included a performance by the Irish Dance Club and a reception to follow.

Women Philosopher Lecture Series
Dr. Eva Kittay No One Is Disposable
March 14 | Slavin 64′ Hall

Dr. Eva Kittay, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy (Emerita) at Stony Brook University, is an internationally renowned philosopher who has done groundbreaking work in the areas of feminist philosophy, ethics, social and political philosophy, and the philosophy of disability. She is the author of Love’s Labor: Essays on Women, Equality and Dependency, and, most recently, Learning from My Daughter: The Value and Care of Disabled Minds. In “No One Is Disposable,” she spoke about her philosophical work on cognitive disability.

Empowered in the Gym
Feb. 27 | Concannon Fitness Center

Open to all students; requested by students as a way to combat the intimidation felt by many (mostly women but not always) when going to the fitness center on campus; there is a hesitation to go in certain areas; use particular equipment etc. due to feeling intimidated by other students already there. This educational event was led by a student who is also a personal trainer who educated participants on using equipment correctly and helping them overcome any feelings of intimidation related to any aspect of using the gym.

Providence College Galleries presents: Community Perspectives on Women and Gender in PC’s Art Collection
Intersectional Feminisms in PC’s Art Collection & Greater Providence – POSTPONED
Feb. 25 | Wedding Cake House
514 Broadway, Providence, RI 02909

This event took place at the Wedding Cake House, a feminist arts and craft center housed in a historic Italianate mansion on Providence’s West Side. PCG staff installed a special installation of feminist-themed artworks from PC’s collection, which women artists and scholars from the College discussed during a special tour of the house co-led by the founders of the Wedding Cake House. This event was capped at 80 guests.

MLK Vigil
Feb. 16 | Saint Dominic Chapel

“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all: but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” — Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Come place our world, our nation, our campus, ourselves in the hands of God as we gather for the annual MLK Convocation Prayer Vigil in St. Dominic Chapel on Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. We ask the Lord to unite us and to end the lingering divisions caused by politics, wealth, and race.

MLK Vision Award & Reception
Feb. 16 | Moore Bouligny Lounge

Attendees gathered in celebration of the 2022 MLK Vision Award winners in the Bouligny Lounge in Center at Moore Hall. The recipients were honored at the ceremonial presentation of the Award which will begin at 3:30 p.m. followed by a reception where attendees had an opportunity to meet and greet our recipients.

Money Matters: Session IV Women and Finance for Young Friars  
Feb. 16 | Via Zoom

In our fourth session of the Money Matters series, we discussed how to make financial decisions regarding investing, retirement planning, etc. 

MLK Be the Change
Feb. 15 | McPhail’s

Attendees joined together to explore what it means to be a visionary, an advocate, and a leader in your own community. Over the course of lunch, we engaged in interactive discussions alongside local activists and justice leaders with the goal of each participant creating their own plan of how to actively reflect and take action on issues confronting their communities.

Anna E. Lavoie Endowed Lecture
Feb. 11 | Science Complex, Room 206

Providence College welcomed alumni, faculty, staff and students to the fourth annual Anna E. Lavoie Memorial Lecture featuring remarks from Kerry Murphy Benenato ’99, Vice President for Platform Chemistry and Formulation at Moderna, followed by an alumnae panel discussion including Shelley McBride, DMD ’89, Pediatric Dentist, Chestnut Dental and Sarah Kane ’19, Assistant Associate Engineer, National Grid. Our distinguished alumnae shared their stories and reflections on the opportunities, advances, issues and challenges which have face female scientists over the past 50 years.

Providence College Galleries presents: Community Perspectives on Women and Gender in PC’s Art Collection
Art History Selects: PC Art History Faculty Explore the Work of Women Artists in the Art Collection
Feb. 2 | Hunt-Cavanagh Gallery at Hunt-Cavanagh Hall

In this exhibition and tour, Providence College’s own art historians identified how contemporary artworks from the College’s art collection and made by women reference global visual cultures, from the ancient world to the present day.

The Thanksgiving Play
Jan. 28-30 | Bowab Theater

The Thanksgiving Play was written by Larissa FastHorse in 2015. Larissa is a Native American playwright who has written and produced numerous contributions to Native American drama, plays involving issues with indigenous people in American society and issues in theater. This play is developed in a linear way with interspersed informative moments in the performance to give the audience background knowledge on notable events concerning Native Americans. The play is currently still in development; however, there have already been readings of the play to assess its widespread appeal and gain feedback on how it can further be refined. In 2017, The Thanksgiving Play was selected by the Kilroys, an annual list of underproduced plays by women. In 2018, it was slated for presentation off Broadway, opening in October 2018.

Find a Friar- Foodies & Friends -CANCELLED
Jan. 27 | McPhail’s

You’ve been to Find a Friar events. You’ve heard alumni share information about their careers. You may have even created your LinkedIn and FriarLink profiles. NOW WHAT? Move out from behind your screen and put it all together at our Foodies & Friends grand finale event. Attendees enjoyed specialty foods and face-to-face time with PC alums as they made connections to help shape their future.

Fefu and Her Friends
Jan. 20-23 | Angell Blackfriars Theater

by María Irene Fornés
directed by Erin Joy Schmidt

A signature work of feminist theatre by a giant of the avant-garde. Set in the 1930s, a group of eight women gather at the country home of their brilliant and eccentric friend, Fefu. As multiple conflicts unfold between the old friends, the women struggle to define who they are and what it means to be a woman in a patriarchal society. Though written in the 1970s, FEFU AND HER FRIENDS raises questions and anxieties around gender and identity that endure today.

María Irene Fornés has been called the greatest and least-known dramatist of our time. Signature Theatre devoted its 1999–2000 season to her work. She’s written over 40 “spare, poetic, and emotionally forceful works”; won nine OBIE awards; and her epic What of the Night? was a finalist for the 1990 Pulitzer Prize. JoAnne Akalaitis, Edward Albee Caryl Churchill, Migdalia Cruz, John Guare, Tony Kushner, Eduardo Machado, Caridad Svich, Paula Vogel are among the artists that have credited her as an inspiration and influence.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation
Jan. 20 | Via Zoom

Daughters of the Movement: Activists, Authors, Leaders and Visionaries Dr. Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., returned to Providence College to discuss the importance of the Beloved Community and how to achieve it with Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X.

Conversation Style with Providence Student Facilitator
This is a unique opportunity to intersect both celebrations of MLK’s Vision and 50 years of Women at Providence College by highlighting two iconic women who are national leaders in the social justice movement.

Who knew these two daughters would become allies and their iconic mothers (Coretta Scott King and Betty Shabazz) would become strategists and close friends following the assassinations of both Malcolm X and Dr. King?

In a year when Providence College celebrated 50 years of Women, these two icons came together to share the story of how they credit their mothers with imparting guidance of wisdom, courage, and grace in the critical work they do today.

Money Matters: Session III Estate Planning and Philanthropy
Jan. 19 | Via Zoom 

In this third session of the Money Matters series, our discussion revolved around the importance of estate planning and how to build philanthropy into your long-term financial plan. 

Breaking the Mold: PC Women in Male-Dominated Industries
Jan. 12 | Via Zoom 

As we celebrate Fifty Years of Women at Providence College, this special program highlighted women who have “broken the mold” in their career journey. The panel featured several Friars who will share how their PC experience helped them excel in industries traditionally dominated by men. Our featured guests include:

• Lisa D’Addabbo Szewczul ’77, ’17P – Vice President, Environment, Health and Safety, Pratt and Whitney
• Nancy McNamara ’84 – Former Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Pamela Garant ’01SCE – Deputy Fire Chief, Lakeville, MA
• Michelle Cruz ’17 – Software Engineer, Lockheed Martin

Money Matters: Session II Intelligent Investing for Women
Dec. 15 | Via Zoom 

In our second session of the Money Matters series, we unpacked a 401K statement, following the trends of popular stock, and discussing the things one needs to think about for the future. 

Memorial Mass
Dec. 13 | St. Dominic Chapel

Mass was celebrated for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives in the Aquinas Hall fire on December 13, 1977. For those who were not able to join us in person, the Mass was live-streamed. You were cordially invited to participate as we remember and pray for:

Kathryn Jean Andresakes ’80
Jacqueline Luiza Botelho ’79
Barbara Jean Feeney ’81
Donna Bernadette Galligan ’81
Sallyann Garvey ’81
Gretchen Kay Ludwig ’81
Catherine Anne Repucci ’81
Laura Marie Ryan ’81
Deborah Ann Smith ’78
Dorothy Anne Widman ’81

and for all those impacted by this fire especially:

Rev. John S. Peterson, O.P. ’57
Dr. Donna T. McCaffrey ’73G, ’83Ph.D., ’87G.
Very Rev. Thomas Reginald Peterson, O.P. ’51, ’85Hon.

Ties That Bind: Providence College Opera and Musical Theatre Workshop 2021
Dec. 10 | Ryan Concert Hall, The Smith Center for the Arts

This semester’s workshop showcases the ways in which music fosters human connection. The short comic opera Misfortune, composed by Eva Conley Kendrick with libretto by Mark Harvey Levine, tells the story of an ordinary date at a local Chinese restaurant that takes a surprising turn. When the meal ends, a series of threatening fortune cookie messages leaves the couple baffled and searching for answers!

Students will also perform scenes from the musicals of Stephen Schwartz, notably Godspell, Pippin, and Wicked. Several of these scenes showcase strong female characters, including “Kind of Woman” from Pippin, “For Good” and “Popular” from Wicked, and “Stranger to the Rain” from Children of Eden.

This semester’s course was led by two PC alumnae: stage director Erin Joy Schmidt ‘00 and music director Elizabeth (Grace) Heath ‘09.

50 Years of Women, Business & Growth: Women in Business Alumni Panel
Nov. 30 | Ryan 102

The Women in Business student club and the School of Business invited you to the 50 Years of Women, Business & Growth: Women in Business Alumni Panel.

At this event, prominent PC alums discussed their career journeys, including challenges, successes, and thoughts about industry changes. Panelists include:

• Marithza Cadet ’14, ’15G, Senior Financial Analyst, Medtronic 
• Maggie Cadigan ’11, Managing Director, The Many 
• Justine Harrington ’12, Founder & CEO, Solas Digital Consulting 
• Keesha Ingram ’19G, Category Designer, CVS Corporation 
• Shannon O’Brien ’92, Vice President-Claims, Amica Mutual Insurance Company 

The panel will be moderated by Charlotte Vahey ’23.

This event was part of the 50^th Anniversary of Women at PC celebration.  FLIP points were available for attendance.

From the Virgin Mary to Frida Kahlo:  Women, Disability, and the Ethics of Care
Nov. 16 | Ruane 105 

Dr. Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, an interdisciplinary scholar with graduate degrees in literature and bioethics, is renowned for her exciting and thoughtful talks on disability arts and culture, drawing from the classics and popular culture, from Homer to the Games of Thrones. Her presentation focused on women, caregiving, and the disability rights movement, and is open to faculty, staff, and students.  This talk is co-sponsored by the School of Arts and Sciences and School of Professional Studies, as well as several departments and programs (to be updated soon). 

Money Matters: Session I Demystifying Finance for Women
Nov. 17 | Via Zoom 

In our first session of the series, we explored the lay of the financial land (explanations of the basics of finance – stocks, bonds, market, etc.) and how it all impacts our nation’s economy and our own daily lives.

Gratitude Board
Nov. 10-12 | Slavin Atrium

Participants celebrated Thanksgiving & 50 Years of Women at PC. They wrote the name of a woman who has inspired them during their time at Providence College.

Women Pioneers of the PC History Program
Nov. 8 | Ruane 105

Attendees joined the Department of History and Classics on Monday, November 8th at 4:30 pm in Ruane 105 for Women Pioneers of the PC History Program, featuring Dr. Karen Holland, ’73, of the Department of History and Classics, and the Honorable Maureen McKenna Goldberg, ’73, of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. This panel discussion was part of Providence College’s ongoing Then. Now. Next. series celebrating 50 years of women at PC.

RI Conference on Values -Based Leadership
Nov. 6

Each year, the RI Conference on Values-Based Leadership offers student leaders and leadership development professionals from colleges and universities across the state, a valuable opportunity to come together and explore the choices and challenges inherent to effective values-based leadership.

Ascend Your Start –Up
Nov. 4 | ’64 Hall

Helen Yu is the founder and CEO of Tigon Advisory, driving growth for tech companies from start-up CEOs — who go on to achieve multibillion-dollar revenue growth and record profitability — to global titans like Oracle and Adobe. She is a board advisor to fast-growth SaaS companies and is on the board of the Global Cybersecurity Association.

Ms. Yu shared four lessons she learned that applies to scaling mountains, companies, and personal growth.  Ms. Yu is also a WSJ best-selling author.

The event was co-sponsored with Asian Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, Economics, and the School of Business. 

Celebrating Women Philosophers: Past and Present Series With Dr. Eva Kittay
Nov. 1 

Dr. Eva Kittay is a world-renowned philosopher and pioneer in the fields of ethics, feminist philosophy, and the philosophy of disability. Dr. Kittay spoke about her recent work on disability and personhood, and her book Lessons From My Daughter: The Value and Care of Disabled Minds.

PCTDF: The Most Massive Woman Wins
Oct. 28-30

Written by Madeleine George | Directed by Taylor Crumrine
The Most Massive Woman Wins is a play that follows four women as they flashback through their lives and their decisions that led them to a liposuction clinic waiting room. It is a social commentary on society and the pressure it places upon young women. It comments on that pressure and how it follows the characters as they change and grow and the toxic cycle that begins and never seems to end. This play is essential to present to a modern audience. It is uncomfortable and startling, but it is also, sadly, a reality. It forces an audience to come face to face with the product of their prejudice. A dark comedy that will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. Student Director Kelly Slader

Providence College Galleries presents: Community Perspectives on Women and Gender in PC’s Art Collection
September-October | Galleries

To kick off the Community Perspectives series, Drs. Deborah Johnson and Maura Reilly, both renowned scholars on women in the visual arts, detailed the history of gender imbalance in the arts, and explained what art museums should do about it. Coinciding with Art History Selects, an exhibition of PCG collection artworks by women artists that has been co-curated by PC art history faculty, this program will also include guest appearances by those faculty.

Dr. Deborah Johnson, Professor Emeritus, Department of Art History & Women and Gender Studies Program at Providence College

Dr. Maura Reilly (PC ’90), Independent Curator and Associate Professor, Department of Art History and Museum Studies at Arizona State University

Jane Lunin Perel Poetry & Fiction Series
Oct. 27 | Ruane Center for the Humanities

Providence College was pleased to welcome Carolyn Forché to campus for the fifth reading of the Jane Lunin Perel Poetry and Fiction Series. Forché is an award-winning poet and human rights advocate who has been a finalist for both the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize in poetry. She is renowned as a “poet of witness” in contributing works that bear witness to war, imprisonment, torture, and enslavement.

Her international anthology, Against Forgetting, was praised by Nelson Mandela as “itself a blow against tyranny, against prejudice, against injustice.” She is currently the Lannan Visiting Professor of Poetry and Professor of English at Georgetown University.

Student Event: PC Dance Company Performance
Oct. 18 | McPhail’s

Dance performance.

365 Days/365 Plays
Oct. 19-21

by Suzan-Lori Parks, Directed by Cloteal L. Horne, Assistant direction and choreography by Jessica Natalie Smith

On November 13 2002, Suzan-Lori Parks had an idea to write a play every day for a year. She began that very day, finishing one year later. The result is an extraordinary testament to artistic commitment. This collection of 365 impeccably crafted pieces, each with its own distinctive characters and dramatic power, is a complete work by an artist responding to her world, each and every day. Parks is one of the American theatre’s most innovative writers. A unique, year-long play cycle from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Topdog/Underdog.

Student Event Yoga Class
Oct. 19 | Concannon Fitness Studio

Yoga class.

Student Event: Zumba Class
Oct. 20 | McPhail’s

Zumba class.

Student Event: Trivia
Oct. 21 | McPhail’s

Trivia interspersed with questions designed to link to Celebration of 50 years of Women at PC.

Picture a Scientist
Oct. 19 | Via Zoom

This virtual documentary screening and discussion, centering women in the sciences, was co-organized and sponsored by Biology, Chemistry, Engineering & Physics, Mathematics & Computer Science, Psychology, Women’s, and Gender Studies, and the HHMI Inclusive Excellence Learning Community. This event is part of an on-going series of events in honor of 50 Years of Women at Providence College. Then. Now. Next. 

Hosted by Dr. Maia Bailey of Biology and Women’s and Gender Studies, with participation from Abigail Brooks, Director of Women’s, and Gender Studies.

Dr. Teresa Lavoie, 89′ (BS in Chemistry), PhD in Biophysical Chemistry from Princeton University, and founder of the Lavoie Lecture here at Providence College.

Interim Title IX Coordinator and Associate Dean of Students Tiffany Gaffney. 

Dean Sheila Adamus Liotta; and with break out rooms moderated by current Biology and Women’s and Gender Studies students, Kristina Cunliffe, Grace Foltz, Alexandra Valleca, and Sasha Rudich, we had a stimulating and well-informed teach-in and discussion.

Centered: A Conversation with Friar Women in Middle Management
Hosted by Dr. Deirdre Snyder
Oct. 13 | Via Zoom

Attendees explored the opportunities and challenges of navigating leadership as a middle manager. Dr. Deirdre Snyder, assistant professor of management, hosted a panel discussion with Friar women alumni. The group discussed mentorship and personal capital, how to effectively utilize resources at every level, strategies for overcoming obstacles, and lessons learned from their individual professional journeys.

WaterFire: Then, Now, Next: 50 Years of Women at Providence College 
Oct. 2 | Downtown Providence

Friartown took over downtown Providence to celebrate Then, Now, Next: 50 Years of Women at Providence College, the inauguration of College President Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. ’78, ’82G,and the commencement of the Class of 2020. 

Ring of Fire Ceremony
Waterplace Park
More than 80 braziers were lit from Waterplace Park to Memorial/South Main Street following the Ring of Fire torch procession involving 100 participants, including Father Sicard, female Friars from the last 50 years, and members of the Class of 2020.  

Steeple Street Gathering
Friars gathered on Steeple Street as people wandered through everything WaterFire has to offer. 

50 Years of Women Athletics Meet-up
Washington Street Tent

The Providence College Athletic Department celebrated and honored 50 Years of Women at Providence College and 50 Years of Women’s Athletics at Waterfire. The reception was open to all former female student athletes from Providence College and their guests.

President’s Welcome, featuring Mae C. Jemison, M.D. 
Oct. 2 | Slavin Lawn

College President Rev. Kenneth Sicard, O.P. ’78, ’82G spoke at the President’s Welcome. He was joined by Ann Manchester-Molak ’75, the first woman to serve as executive vice president of PC, and Eliana DaCunha ’22, president of the Class of 2022, to talk about the future of PC.  
 Mae C. Jemison, M.D., a former NASA astronaut who in 1992 became the first woman of color to go into space, spoke as well. Jemison, an engineer, physician, and educator will receive an honorary doctor of humanities degree at Class of 2020 commencement on Sunday, Oct. 3. As mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, she orbited the earth for nearly eight days, from Sept. 12-20, 1992. 

Women’s Circle Information Session 
Oct. 1 | Slavin Soft Lounge (LL01)

Concert Honoring Women in Music
Sept. 24 | Ryan Concert Hall Smith Center for the Arts

The recital was presented by renowned concert pianist Esther Park and featured women composers from the 19^th  and 20^th century, most notably Clara Schumann.  Clara Schumann is considered to be one of the most important pianists of the 19^th century, and composed many works to rival some of the greatest composers of her era.  Her piano performances were of top rate at a time when most concert pianists were male.

Other works performed were Amy Beach, and a new composition by Maria Niederberger.

If you are interested, read more about the pianist Esther Park.

Friar Footsteps: A Conversation with Alumni Runners
Sept. 23 | Via Zoom

Attendees joined a conversation about marathons, triathlons, creating habits, overcoming adversity, and the adventures of life along the way. Russell Newell ’93, critically acclaimed author, former writer for Disney-ABC Television, and six-time Ironman, will host a conversation with alumni marathoners Donna Butler ’82 and Jess Looney ’20.

Celebrating Women Philosophers: Past and Present
Sept. 20 

Dr. Kathrin Stengel – Film screening, Q&A with author (open to campus)

Then, Now Next: Women Pioneers at Providence College
Sept. 13 | ’64 Hall, Slavin Center and via Zoom

On September 13, 1971, women were, for the very first time, among the incoming cohort of students entering the classroom at Providence College. Today, fifty years later, we honor this milestone. We welcomed the opportunity to hear from women across the decades who have pioneered at Providence College including graduates from the first classes of women. Abigail Brooks, professor of sociology and gender studies will moderate the discussion. Together, our panelists offered multiple, rich and varied perspectives on their experiences as students at Providence College, past, and present, and with eyes towards the future.

Academic Convocation 
Sept. 1 | Peterson Recreation Center

The official opening of the academic year featuring a keynote speech by 2021 Accinno Faculty Award recipient Robin Greene, Ph.D., associate professor of history and classics. 
List to Prof. Greene on the PC Podcast >
Watch Prof. Greene’s Convocation 2021 Speech >

Forever-A-Friar New Student Orientation  
Aug. 27 | Peterson Recreation Center

This annual pep rally was sponsored the Office of Alumni Relations as an introduction to PC’s alumni and benefactor community.  This year we had our first ever female host in honor of the 50^th Anniversary of Women – Maddie Skeie ’20 and former field hockey player.