UMaine Announces 2011 Maryann Hartman Awards
The University of Maine’s Women in the Curriculum and Women’s Studies Program has announced the four recipients of the 2011 Maryann Hartman Awards, an annual recognition of women whose work inspires others and raises awareness of contemporary women’s accomplishments.
This year’s recipients of the Maryann Hartman Awards to Maine Women of Achievement are Constance Carter of Orono, founder of Operation Breaking Stereotypes (OBS), Susan Davies of Veazie, a former professor of Christian education at Bangor Theological Seminary, and Dora Anne Mills of Brunswick, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Sarah Eaton of Deer Isle, a founding member of Looking Out for Teens and first-year UMaine student will receive the Young Women’s Social Justice Award.
A UMaine teacher and scholar in speech communication at the University of Maine, Maryann Hartman was considered by friends and associates as an advocate, friend, mother and a woman of courage and vitality. Hartman died of cancer in 1980 at age 53. The awards ceremony is scheduled from 5-7 p.m. at the Buchanan Alumni House at UMaine on Wednesday, Oct. 26. It is a free and public event, but prior registration is requested by calling Women in the Curriculum and Women’s Studies Program at 581-1228.
Constance Carter’s OBS organization brings together Maine students in grades 7-12 with their diverse counterparts from New York City, Boston and even between schools in Maine.
“This project radically alters both Maine and New York/Boston students’ perceptions of other races and cultures,” according to her nominator. “During the past year, Connie developed a new curriculum for OBS, one that involves addressing the importance of being a good digital citizen. The new curriculum teaches students about their presence online and the concept of reputation management, including online safety, their digital footprint, exploring values to guide their behavior, and the responsible use of social media.”
A 2010 documentary about Carter’s program is still being played at film festivals across the country.
Susan Davies, recently retired from the seminary, is co-editor of two books and author of several articles.
“Sue became the first woman minister at the Union Congregational Church in Hancock, Maine in 1977. While working as a professor at the Bangor Theological Seminary, Sue has opened the curriculum to classes on gender, race, class, feminist theology and feminist ethics,” according to her nominator. “In her work, she was known for consistently supporting the lesbian women and gay men students in all of their struggles. She also worked with churches in the 1980’s and 1990’s to move the gay community from the margins to the center of the church, despite widespread resistance and hostility from some church members.”
After 15 years as head of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dora Anne Mills recently was named vice president for clinical affairs at the University of New England.
Prior to assuming her position in 1996 as director of the Maine CDC and as Maine’s chief health officer, Mills practiced pediatrics in Tanzania, East Africa, Los Angeles and Farmington, Maine. Her experiences abroad had a profound influence on her and she was able to incorporate much of her new knowledge into her practice in the U.S., according to WIC/WSP.
Mills is widely recognized for her public health accomplishments, including reducing Maine’s rates of tobacco use, teen pregnancy and childhood obesity. Mills now is charged with strengthening UNE’s clinical partnerships and its community and public health mission.
Sarah Eaton comes from Deer Isle, where her work with fellow students earned her the Young Women’s Social Justice Award.
Looking Out for Teens (LOFT) educates students about the dangers of alcohol, drug and tobacco use. In addition to LOFT, Eaton has been involved in many walks to raise awareness for cancer, multiple sclerosis and juvenile diabetes. She also has worked on a safety education project through the National Honor Society, a project dedicated to educating teens about seat belt use, Internet safety and abuse, and the dangers of texting and driving.
For more information, or to make reservations, call the Women in the Curriculum and Women’s Studies Program at 581-1228.
Contact: Angela Hart, (207) 581-1228