Dr. Gladys Beckwith is a pioneer in the fields of women\u2019s studies and women\u2019s history. As one of the first professors of women\u2019s studies in the country, Dr. Beckwith was frustrated by the glaring lack of course materials for and about women. In 1973, she and a small group of colleagues formed the Michigan Women\u2019s Studies Association (MWSA), the first professional women\u2019s studies association in the country. Its goals were to raise awareness about the role of women in history and to push for the development of women\u2019s studies programs in all of Michigan\u2019s colleges and universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1979, Dr. Beckwith negotiated a lease with the City of Lansing for the Cooley Haze House, which became the home of the Michigan Women\u2019s Historical Center and Hall of Fame. Dr. Beckwith served as both the unpaid Executive Director and the President of the MWSA for more than 30 years. She maintains an active role in preserving women\u2019s history in Michigan and serves on the Friends Board of the MWSA. Dr. Beckwith\u2019s work and foresight made Michigan the first state in the nation to have a museum solely dedicated to women\u2019s history and Michigan remains one of only a handful of states to have a Women\u2019s Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to teaching at Michigan State University for 32 years, Dr. Beckwith served on the Lansing Board of Education for 18 years. In 1996, she was the recipient of MSU\u2019s Presidential Award for Community Service. In 1998, the Michigan Women\u2019s Foundation presented her with the Women of Achievement and Courage Award. In 2005, the Detroit News named her one of 12 \u2018Michiganians of the Year.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1221,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1220","mwhof","type-mwhof","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n