Posted March 2022
Dedicated to highlighting the achievements and impact of women in the past and present, each March is recognized as Women’s History Month across the United States. As more countries begin to acknowledge the importance of the month, the message of uplifting and supporting women grows stronger and stronger. Despite making up half of the population, women have had to overcome many challenges in finding equality and a voice within many spaces of life. And yet, their persistence and resilience never flicker.
Celebrate with us by getting to know some incredible women within the Boston University community who are making an impact today.
Weike Wang (GRS‘15) released her second novel, Joan Is Okay, in February 2020—at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The story details the life of a Chinese American physician who is deeply devoted to her job in the intensive care unit of a Manhattan hospital. But of course, her story had no mention of the pandemic. Seeing this as an opportunity to share real stories of Asian American physicians, Wang began interviewing friends who were on the front lines of the pandemic and made revisions to her newest book. Read on.
Going for gold in the 2022 Winter Olympics, Jesse Compher (CGS’19, SHA’21) and Marie-Philip Poulin (CAS’15) competed against each other in the Women’s Hockey Final. Compher, a recent Terrier grad, represented the United States well, bringing home a silver medal in her Olympic debut. Three-time gold medal-winning Olympian Poulin skated in her 4th Olympic games for Team Canada and was honored with carrying the flag for her country during the opening ceremonies. Despite being on opposite sides of the ice, these two alumnae are doing big things for women in sports and continue to make the hockey community proud. Read on.
At 10 years old, Manjusha Kulkarni (LAW‘95) witnessed the power of the courts as she watched her mother, a physician from India, be denied a position at a Birmingham, Ala., hospital because of her immigrant status. Since then, Kulkarni has built up a successful career in antidiscrimination law and advocacy work, and her work co-founding the Stop AAPI Hate Initiative recently landed her a spot on Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2021. See how Kulkarni is using her skills as an attorney to bring policy change and justice to her community: Read on
As a child of Lebanese-immigrant parents growing up in New Hampshire—where the population is 93% white—Danielle Letayf (Questrom’13) always sought out diversity. However, after noticing how conference speakers all looked the same, Letayf started Badassery, a public speaking marketplace for diverse voices. Her goal is to create “a way for up-and-coming thought leaders to have a voice,” and expand on the faces of public speaking in the professional world. Read on.
With the news of the United States’ historic confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson, Joe Biden is receiving much praise for following through on his promise to appoint the nation’s first Black woman to the Supreme Court. However, LAW dean Angela Onwuachi-Willig and her team have been instrumental in impacting change in the nation’s capital. Drafting a letter with 200 signatures from Black women law professors, she urged Biden to make do on his promises, an effort that has paid off. Onwuachi-Willig was also honored by the White House in January with her work to help avert the housing crisis. Read on .
Sharmetha Ramanan (Sargent’19) started her musical career early, learning how to play piano with her mother at the age of three. However, it was her time spent as musical director of the BU Acapella group, the Bostones, that helped prepare her for success in the music industry. Now, coming off of a recent nomination for the R&B Artist of the Year in the 2021 Boston Music Awards, the young singer is excited for what’s next. Read on.
Despite having no experience in the fashion industry, Sarah Greisdorf (CAS’20) aspired to solve a problem that many women know all too well: clothes with little-to-no pockets. So annoyed by this fashion flaw, she created her company Holdette, making a new woman’s suit with practical pockets. However, as the pandemic halted production, Greisdorf came up with a new plan—Back Pocket, a virtual mentorship program for women in college and recent graduates that runs workshops and local community groups. Read on.
Soon after graduation, Emily Lam (ENG’14,’16,’20) got right to work founding a new tech start-up, Rtangent. The firm aims to combine virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) so people can tour museums and other venues on- or off-site, accompanied by live guides in real-time. As she broadens education through technology, Lam is a model of success for women with hopeful careers in STEM. Read on.
Working in the Air Force Hospital system for seven years, Jennifer Byrne (Sargent’21) witnessed the shortage of mental health professionals first hand, especially for veterans. With her experience in mind, she helped create Shields & Stripes, an intensive 16-week holistic program for military, first responders, and law officers to help them heal from the toll that war can take on a soldier’s mental health. Read on.