Women Changing the World
Since 1987, the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Distinguished Lecture Series has hosted many influential, world-changing women. In honor of Women’s History Month, we highlight some of those who have graced the stage of Memorial Union’s Shannon Hall.
(Photo by Jeff Miller, Photo Courtesy of UW-Madison)
Laverne Cox, 2015-2016 lecture series
Laverne Cox is an actress, television producer and LGBTQ+ advocate. In 2014, she was named Woman of the Year by Glamour Magazine and in 2015, she was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People.
Jean Kilbourne, 2004-2005 lecture series
Jean Kilbourne is an author, speaker and filmmaker who is recognized for her research on the portrayal of women in advertising as well as alcohol and tobacco use in media. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame on Oct.3, 2015. Her extensive knowledge on the subject has profoundly impacted public awareness regarding women in advertising.
Gloria Steinem, 1995-1996 lecture series
Gloria Steinem is a journalist, feminist and political activist. She has been at the forefront of the movement for women’s equality since the 1960s. Steinem’s accomplishments include co-founding the magazine Ms. and Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE), an organization that works to educate the public on reproductive health issues.
Faye Wattleton, 1990-1991 lecture series
Faye Wattleton was the first female, the first African American and the youngest person to ever be appointed president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Wattleton also helped to found the Center for the Advancement of Women in 1995.
Maya Angelou, 1989-90 lecture series
Maya Angelou was known for her work in literature during the second half of the 20th century. Her most notable work, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”, was published in 1969. The book was one of the first to offer an account of the life of an African American woman and paved the way for African American women in the world of literature.
