Mary Ann Lamanna Award for Excellence

The Mary Ann Lamanna Award for Excellence in Women’s and Gender Studies recognizes extraordinary service to the UNO Women’s and Gender Studies program. This noteworthy work may involve teaching, research/creative activity, service, or a combination of the three. Nominees may be UNO students, faculty, staff, alumni, or others who have provided exemplary service. Have someone in mind? Submit them via the nomination form*.

The person(s) selected will receive the award at the annual Women’s and Gender Studies gathering to be held in May.

Previous winners include:

• Dr. Robbin Ogle (Criminal Justice & Women’s Studies)

• Dr. Susan Maher (English & Women’s Studies)

• Dr. Karen Falconer Al-Hindi (Geography/Geology & Women’s Studies)

• Dr. Suzanne Moshier (Biology & Women’s Studies)

• Ms. Marti Rosen-Atherton (University Division Counseling & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Ms. Rachel Tomlinson Dick (B.A, Women’s Studies, 2010)

• Dr. Patrice J. Proulx (Foreign Languages and Literatures & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Ms. Marcia Adler (University Health Center & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Ms. Peggy Jones (Black Studies & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Dr. Monica Basile (Iowa City, Iowa)

• Dr. Sofia Jawed-Wessel(Health Education & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Dr. Jay Irwin (Sociology/Anthropology & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Dr. Regina Toman (University Administration & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Dr. Tammie Kennedy (English & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Dr. Jody Neathery-Castro (Political Science & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Ms. Dawn Cripe (Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Dr. Kristin Girten (English & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Dr. David Peterson (English & Women’s and Gender Studies)

• Dr. Sharon E. Wood (History)

The Mary Ann Lamanna Award for Excellence in Women’s and Gender Studies is named in honor of Dr. Mary Ann Lamanna, professor emerita of Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies. In the mid-1970s, while a student at the University of Notre Dame, she developed and taught a course called “Changing Sex Roles:” it was the first Women’s Studies course ever offered there. She was subsequently awarded the Ph.D. and among her many scholarly contributions since, has co-authored one of the most widely used and respected Marriage and Family textbooks.

Among Mary Ann’s important contributions to this interdisciplinary program was her service as chair of the first Ad Hoc Women’s Studies Advisory Committee during the years 1985-87. Along with two colleagues she developed one of the two required courses in the program: Introduction to Women’s Studies – Social and Behavioral Sciences. She was also the first to teach this course.

In the mid-1990s, Mary Ann wrote the proposal for a major in Women’s Studies; along with Dr. Lenore Kuo, she shepherded it through approval by the Women’s Studies Committee, and Faculty, and various levels of UNO administration, to final approval by the NU Regents and Post-secondary Coordinating Commission in 2001. This program would not be where it is today without Mary Ann’s vision, energy and commitment.

The Mary Ann Lamanna Award for Excellence in Women’s & Gender Studies honors Mary Ann while at the same time recognizing other outstanding contributors whose service, teaching, and/or research continually energize and renew what we offer and who we are.