Stetson kicks off first annual Women’s Week celebration

Stetson Law students made cards of encouragement to donate during Women’s Week. The cards were given to Alpha House, an organization which provides housing and supportive services to homeless pregnant women and teens, new mothers with infants, and families experiencing crisis pregnancies.

Stetson law school launched its first annual Women’s Week celebration during the week of March 13, with a pro bono event, performance/fundraiser, panel with area leaders on the Gulfport campus, and a career networking event in downtown St. Petersburg.

Seventy-three cards were decorated for donation to Alpha House during Women’s Week at Stetson Law.

The celebration kicked off with a pro bono event on March 13 to benefit Alpha House, a local shelter for homeless pregnant women and mothers. Students earned one hour of nonlegal pro bono for decorating cards of encouragement and donating personal care items for women at Alpha House.

On March 14, students and faculty performed the Vagina Monologues as part of a fundraiser for the Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA) organization.
“I’ve been volunteering with the Vagina Monologues for the past three years, and I always feel so empowered after every show,” said student Adriana Foreman.

Panelists presented in the Mann Lounge on tools to use to tackle gender bias. (L-R): Judge Pamela Campbell, attorneys Kristina Feher, Shavarne Dhalquist and Katherine Earle Yanes.

Panelists presented in the Mann Lounge on tools to use to tackle gender bias. (L-R): Judge Pamela Campbell, attorneys Kristina Feher, Shavarne Dhalquist and Katherine Earle Yanes.

The evening of March 15, more than 30 students and local attorneys attended “Tools for Tackling Gender Bias.” A dynamic panel of distinguished female attorneys and a judge candidly discussed techniques young attorneys can can use to overcome gender barriers in the workplace. Students Natalie Yello, the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Law Student Division president and Stetson’s Ms. JD Fellow, and Chloe Wells, Florida Association of Women Lawyers at Stetson president, introduced the panel, moderated by Joann Grages Burnett, associate director of career development. Judge Pamela Campbell, along with attorneys Kristina Feher, Shavarne Dhalquist and Katherine Earle Yanes presented. Yello and Wells were inspired to create Stetson’s first Women’s Week event after reading the results of the 2015 Young Lawyers Division Survey on Women in the Legal Profession.

Students and faculty performed the Vagina Monologues as part of Women's Week.

Students and faculty performed the Vagina Monologues as part of Women’s Week. (L-R): Kristina Hartman, Carolina Sauzo, Cymoril White, Courtney Olivier, Adriana Foreman, and Erica Ramos.

“With International Women’s Day falling during our Spring Break, we wanted to make sure that Stetson had the opportunity to celebrate this important day,” said Yello. “We wanted to hold a week of events that would empower not just our students, but the entire community.”

Women’s Week concluded with a final celebration at the Hangar Restaurant in downtown St. Petersburg which included attorneys, networking, delicious food and drinks.

Students gather at Stetson's first Women's Week networking event. Photo courtesy Chloe Wells.

Students gather at Stetson’s first Women’s Week networking event. L-R Stephanie Mas (1L), Christina Z. Pacheco, Esq., Office of the Attorney General, Lauren Stagner (1L). Photo courtesy Chloe Wells.

Throughout the week, attendees were provided with an opportunity to sign letters of support for House Bill 319, proposed legislation designed to close the pervasive gender pay gap in Florida.

Women’s Week was sponsored by the Florida Association for Women Lawyers at Stetson (FAWLS), the Stetson Chapter of the Florida Bar YLD Law Student Division, Stetson Student Bar Association Diversity Committee, National Organization of Women, Food Law Society, and the Stetson Student Bar Association Alumni Relations Committee.

Students hold their personalized cards in front of the items collected during Women’s Week for donation to Alpha House.