Simmons College

Simmons College Radio nominated for national broadcast awards

Simmons College Radio has received three nominations for broadcast excellence from the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS). The station has been named a national finalist for:

Most Innovative Programming in College Radio - "Globalization on a Shoestring"

Best Live Music Broadcast - "The Jon Herington Band"

Watch The Jon Herington Band perform in the Trustman Art Gallery

Best Celebrity Interview - "CK Our Way & Alexz Johnson"

The winners in each category will be announced March 3 at the 72nd Annual Intercollegiate Broadcasting System International Radio & Webcasting Conference in New York.

IBS has announced that the station also will be presented with a "Golden Microphone Award for Broadcast Excellence" for the third year in a row.

This year's national competition drew close to 250 entries from more than two dozen colleges and universities including, Northwestern, Hofstra, and DePaul.

For more information, contact station manager Len Mailloux. Be sure to like Simmons College Radio on Facebook and listen live at www.backbone.com/simmons.

Super Bowl commercials cause viewers to tweet #NotBuyingIt

Statistics show that women influence or make 86% of American consumer purchases, but 90% of women say advertisers don't understand them at all.

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest arenas for advertisers and many people tune in specifically for the commercials. For years, advertisers have embraced the philosophy that "sex sells" and NPR recently identified sex as one of the three hidden themes of this year's Super Bowl ads.

Now thanks to social media and the Super Bowl #NotBuyingIt Campaign (by the same organization that brought you the Miss Representation documentary), viewers on Sunday were encouraged to share their thoughts via Twitter on which advertisements they found sent a false representation of gender roles by tweeting #NotBuyingIt.

While some ads left a positive impression, others made audiences question who the ads were targeted for and their affect on society's perception of women. The ads that caused the most backlash on social media were Teleflora's "give and you shall receive" ad and Go Daddy's "body paint" ad.

Join in on the conversation! What are your favorite commercials and which ones make you want to tweet #NotBuyingIt?

What's it like to attend a women's college?

There are definitely some myths out there about what it's like to attend a women's college. Some people think it's like being in a convent. Others will say that you'll never make any friends, or get a job in the real world. Believe us, we've heard them all.

But are they fact or just fiction?

Watch this week's Woman on Campus video, where Sarah Galvez '15 addresses some of the most common misconceptions you might hear about attending a women's college.

Want to learn more?

Check out Get the Facts: Why Choose a Women's College.

Be sure to follow Sarah on her adventures as a women's college student on Twitter @WomanOnCampus.

Simmons remembers victims of domestic violence with annual Clothesline Project

This year Simmons College celebrated the 20th anniversary of The Clothesline Project in honor of alumna and domestic violence victim, Betsy McCandless. Betsy graduated from Simmons College in 1971 and went on to earn her master's degree in counseling.

When she was 42-years-old, she met the "man of her dreams" and was married within three months. Her husband almost immediately started beating her. He stole her money, her car and her self-esteem. After six months she escaped and went into hiding. One day after attending her support group, she was feeling confident and decided to return to her apartment to retrieve her mail. Her then ex-husband was there waiting for her. Tragically, Betsy was the victim of a murder-suicide.

The Clothesline Project at Simmons College is organized by Betsy's Friends, an organization on campus committed to spreading awareness and educating students about healthy relationships, domestic violence and sexual assault. Every year Betsy's Friends puts together a program for The Clothesline Project which remembers Betsy and other victims of domestic and sexual assault.

Simmons College celebrates Black History Month

Black Student Organization President Diane Franklin eulogizing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1968

In the fall of 1967, Simmons women formed the College's first Black Student Organization (BSO). Born out of the Simmons Civil Rights Club (SCRC), the BSO was founded on two basic principles: to maintain ties to the surrounding urban community, and to promote and protect the interests of Black students at Simmons. Sister members of the BSO felt Simmons was lacking a Black presence on campus.

Two years later, the BSO initiated change by bringing their Ten Demands before President William Park. Among these demands was a call for the increased recruitment of Black students, Black professors and staff members, and the creation of an African Studies Program. Thanks to the efforts of these courageous women, President Park accepted a condensed version of the 10 Demands, which was evidenced in the formation of an African Studies Department in 1970.

Since then, the BSO has undergone many changes, but its mission remains the same. Today's President of the Black Student Organization, Tatiana Johnson '12, talks about the importance of the BSO and celebrating Black History Month.

In honor of Black History Month, the Black Student Organization is hosting a wide range of events at Simmons College that embrace the theme "Redefinition."

Professor Teresa Nelson speaks at White House Summit on Women's Entrepreneurship

Professor Teresa Nelson, Director of the School of Management's Entrepreneurship Program, is speaking this week as a panelist at the White House Summit on Women's Entrepreneurship.

The summit brings together government, the for-profit, and the non-profit sector in a discussion of ways to increase women's participation in entrepreneurship. The panel will address "Getting Capital to Start Your Business."

Professor Nelson is an expert on entrepreneurship and global business, and is a frequent speaker on issues of women entrepreneurs. In a recent Q&A with PINK, she discusses the challenges facing women-run start ups:

There aren't so many differences between men and women entrepreneurs. All entrepreneurs face the challenge of determining a market niche, defining the market and finding appropriate capital. Where we find special issues related to women is around managing their full lives -- and it generally has to do with the fact that many women are still largely responsible for the house, children and elderly parents -- so they have to find a way to manage around that substantial set of commitments.

In addition to speaking at the White House Summit on Women's Entrepreneurship, Professor Teresa Nelson will moderate a speaker session with Mary Ellen Iskenderian at the 2012 Simmons Leadership Conference.

The best of Boston

The Greater Boston area is home to 4.5 million people, and with its rich culture and top ranked universities, it's no surprise that many people find themselves falling in love with the city. It truly has the best of everything!

We've compiled a list of the top 10 categories where Boston has consistently dominated in national rankings. See where Boston compares to other U.S. cities in Travel + Leisure's list of "America's Favorites Cities."

Best College Town

There are more than 250,000 college students in Boston and Cambridge area. What sets Boston apart from most college towns is that while every college has its own identity, students collaborate and interact with the Boston college community as a whole. Need more convincing? Check out this short video tour of Boston.

Most Innovative

Boston ranked as the most innovative city in the world and is home to numerous startups and technology focused companies. At Simmons, innovative thinking is embraced across all majors, and the School of Management's entrepreneurship program is ranked one of the top 25 programs in the entire nation. It's no wonder this year's annual Simmons Leadership Conference is focused on "Innovation and Impact" of women leaders.

Historical Sites and Monuments

The city played a prominent role in the American Revolution and is rooted in history. You're almost always surrounded by historical sites, and you often forget when you're walking along the Freedom Trail or passing by Old South Meeting House.

Know Your Professor: Rich Gurney

Professor Gurney in front of Bet Giorgis in Lalibela, Ethiopa

Meet Associate Professor and Department Chair Rich Gurney from the Department of Chemistry and Physics. Professor Gurney is known around Simmons as the "green professor," specifically for his work with the "Cups to Cleaners: Trash to Treasure" project. But did you know he has a hidden talent in the kitchen and loves Family Guy?

What is your favorite class to teach?

Like children, I can't pick a favorite!

What book are you currently reading

The Other Side of Innovation: Solving the Execution Challenge, by Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble.

What's your favorite book?

The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss.

Do you have a favorite TV show?

The Family Guy - vide supra

The 50 best moments for women

As we start 2012 with high hopes and new resolutions, it's important to reflect on what has been accomplished in the past year. The Huffington Post recently published an article that identified the 50 Best Moments for Women in 2011. We sorted through the list and made the difficult decision of picking our top 10 favorite moments. Although there is still room for progress, this list serves as a reminder of the remarkable accomplishments of these female role models.

Women achieve leadership roles in tech

2011 was a year when women achievied leadership positions in the tech industry. Meg Whitman, 55, of eBay was named CEO of Hewlett Packard. Just one month later, Ginni Rometty, 54, became the CEO of IBM. We are honored to have Meg Whitman as a keynote at this year's annual Simmons Leadership Conference.

Girls sweep Google's Global Science Fair

In July 2011, American teen girls took all three spots in Google's first annual Global Science Fair. Further proof that males aren't the only ones who can succeed in science.

New York Times 1st female Executive Editor

In an industry that is dominated by males, the New York Times named Jill Abramson, 57, their first female Executive Editor. Abramsom is a role model for all women in the journalism and publishing field.

Saudi women gain right to vote

In May, 32-year-old Manal al-Sharif breaks Saudi Arabia's unwritten law banning women from driving a car. Hillary Clinton speaks out on the issue, 14 female U.S. Senators petition King Abdullah to let women drive, and Saudi women continue to fight for their rights. The result of their efforts? Abdullah granted women the right to vote in elections for the first time.

Simmons College 2011 year in review

It goes without saying that 2011 was a milestone year for Simmons College. Students, faculty, staff, and alumnae/i all made contributions to help tell the world the "Simmons Story."

We here at 300 The Fenway have compiled some notable highlights from our 2011 coverage.

January

Simmons kicked off 2011 by sharing its wishes for the coming year. Success, innovation, and students who make a difference in the world were among the many views shared by the community. Fortunately, we got what we wished for!

February

In February, we honored Black History Month with several celebratory events hosted by the Black Student Organization. One of our alumnae was named "America's Tweetheart" and our science students took innovation to a new level by turning trash into cleaning products.

March

"Women" was the theme for March as Simmons recognized the significant contributions of women to history, society, and the world during itsWomen's History Month celebrations. In addition, the Student Government Association hosted Women's College Week, and Simmons held the 14th annual International Women's Day Breakfast.