This spring a seminar on women’s education and development was held at the new library in Burien, Washington. It was organized by Chapter DU’s philanthropy committee chairman Kathleen Johnson, graduate of Cottey College, and education chairman June Yormark. Chapter DU president Jeanette Burrage focused on the role Cottey College plays in educating American women and of the numerous International Peace Scholarships which educate women globally to return to their countries and enable women in the fields of health, development and the state of women's lives internationally. It featured Cottey College education and the international efforts for women's health and development that are often the outcome of such an education.
In a forum attended by P.E.O.s and members of the public, Ambassador Darryl N. Johnson, retired from the U.S. State Department and University of Washington professor, served as master of ceremonies for the presentation of eight non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Seattle who talked about projects that empower and educate women worldwide to end poverty. Kathleen Delph of Agros International spoke of land ownership and holistic development. Elisa Scalise, attorney for Rural Development Institute, shared her experience enforcing property rights of women in Rwanda, Burundi, India and Krgyzstan. Chris Wolff of Unitus stressed maximizing microfinance programs that focus on women. Nancy Bacon oversees a program called Bahia Street, concentrating on local power to educate women and end poverty in Brazil. Marissa Vignali, Ph.D., of Seattle BioMedical Research Institute, leads research for malaria vaccines and their impact on women’s health internationally. Kiersten Israel-Ballard of Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) focuses on solar or flash-heat for pasteurizing breast milk to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. And lastly, Kathleen Johnson, Cottey Graduate, talked passionately of her efforts in Thailand to eliminate the trafficking of women and children. It was due to Kathleen and Darrel’s involvement internationally in Thailand, Ukraine, India and Micronesia that we were able to hear from these incredible young Seattle-based representatives of NGOs who were energetic and passionate about the need for education and the development of women internationally as a path to peace.
This forum was remarkable in that it showed the importance of Cottey College and the historical role it has played in international focus on women’s education and the outreach of such educational programs to better the condition of women throughout the world.
