Dr. Rebecca Campbell wins the 2020 MSU Inspirational Woman of the Year Award

February 8, 2020 - MSU GenCen

MSU GenCen and MSU Women*s Student Services to Honor 8 Inspirational Women in March

Recipients hail from departments across campus, as well as from the mid-Michigan community

East Lansing, MI:  A passion for investing at Michigan State University (MSU) and in mid-Michigan communities. A dedication to empowering women through volunteerism and leadership. An unyielding excellence woven into every action taken. These qualities are exhibited by the six 2020 Inspirational Woman of the Year Awardees and the two 2020 Women Student Leader of the Year Awardees.

The Inspirational Woman of the Year (IWOTY) Awards, managed by MSU’s Center for Gender in Global Context (GenCen), honor employees of Michigan State University in the categories of Community Engagement, Culture of Empowerment, and Professional Achievement. Women from the mid-Michigan community are recognized in the categories of Community Engagement and Culture of Empowerment. The 2020 IWOTY recipients are:

  • MSU Community Engagement (co-recipients) - Ashley Lathrop, Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences and Estrella Torrez, Residential College in the Arts and Humanities
  • MSU Professional Achievement - Nwando Achebe, Department of History
  • MSU Culture of Empowerment - Rebecca Campbell, Department of Psychology 
  • Mid-Michigan Community Engagement - Katie Brewer, President of the Laingsburg High School Drama Boosters
  • Mid-Michigan Culture of Empowerment - Polly Mallory, former Chief Operating Officer of the LACASA Center in Howell

The Woman Student Leader of the Year Awards are managed by MSU Women*s Student Services, within the Division of Students Affairs and Services. These awards are in their inaugural year, honoring both undergraduate and graduate student leaders. The 2020 recipients are:

  • Kadie Alpers, senior majoring in Marketing
  • Morgan PettyJohn, doctoral student in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies

GenCen and Women*s Student Services are co-hosting the Inspirational Woman of the Year Award Reception on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. The reception will take place from 5:30-7:30p.m. in the Jackson Lounge of MSU’s Wharton Center, and is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite (https://tinyurl.com/iwoty2020) for $10.00, and each ticket includes a drink ticket, hors d'oeuvres, and a commemorative wine glass.

The Inspirational Woman of the Year Award Reception will take place from 5:30-7:30p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in the Jackson Lounge of MSU’s Wharton Center, 750 East Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824. Tickets are available on Eventbrite (https://tinyurl.com/iwoty2020).