Celebrate International Women’s Day March 10

International Women’s Day (IWD) centres on the power of community to propel women forward. The day serves as a vital global milestone to celebrate the social, economic and political achievements of today’s women while honouring those who have contributed in the past to the ongoing work of building a more equitable society. Since 1911, IWD has belonged to all who care about gender equality and is recognized every March 8.

On Tuesday, March 10, Mount Royal will hold its own International Women’s Day events in recognition of the incredible contributions of women at MRU.

The theme this year is “Strength in Community.” Members of the organizing committee say the subject matter was chosen “because we wanted to intentionally shift the focus away from traditional ‘leadership’ labels. We recognize that women build community naturally in every corner of this university, and we wanted to ensure that every woman — regardless of her specific job title or role — felt seen, included and valued as a vital part of the Mount Royal fabric."

The day will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Ross Glen Hall with an opening plenary featuring a faculty member and two alumni. Following that is a conversation on barriers to research for those from underrepresented and equity-deserving groups along with rotating discussions on mentoring at MRU. Then will be a panel with three women in different stages of their careers, a mini-talk and table conversations on how burnout is systemic, and a session on what support really looks like. The morning will finish with a look at how to cultivate courage and creativity, followed by a lunch and closing plenary.

Organizing committee members say they wish to emphasize and acknowledge the existing internal MRU community and the panel representation is deliberately diverse so attendees can see their own potential reflected in others.

“Through our panels, we hope to celebrate these diverse successes and demonstrate the power of women lifting one another up. By featuring speakers of varying ages, backgrounds and career stages, we want our attendees to see themselves reflected in these stories and understand that when we strengthen our internal community, we propel everyone forward."

The target audience on March 10 is all members of the MRU community. The event welcomes cis women, trans women and folks who feel affinity with a feminine identity or experiences. Two-Spirit, genderqueer, gender fluid and non-binary folks are also warmly welcome.

Former dean of the Faculty of Business, Communication Studies and Aviation and former interim provost of Mount Royal, Liz Evans, PhD, is now a senior strategist with the aviation department. She says, “The women of our Mount Royal community are a diverse network impacting every aspect of the University's educational purpose. We come together to celebrate their vital contributions to create a healthy campus where everyone feels valued and empowered to succeed."

*Use of the term women is inclusive, including cis women, queer women, trans women, Two Spirit, genderqueer, gender fluid, non-binary folks and folks who feel affinity with a feminine identity or experiences.