On Tuesday, March 3, 2015, the Pan African Student Union [PASU] and fraternity Sigma Theta Chi co-hosted the event A Pledge For Women’s Day. Sigma Theta Chi and PASU joined forces to help celebrate Women’s National Month so the community of Kean University could retrieve more information as to why this month is celebrated world-wide and the importance of it.

“We wanted to do something that was fun and informative about Women’s History Month,” said Kayla-Simone McKelvey, a senior majoring in global fitness and wellness and president of PASU. She continues to explain that “students can make a pledge to women because everyone came from a woman and women shouldn’t be disrespected.”  Students approached the table in throngs, eager to show their support of women and write a pledge on a piece of paper. McKelvey said that students should “understand the importance of Women’s History Month,” because women have contributed a lot to the many different events in history.

To further explain Women’s History Month, this world-wide celebrated month dates back to 1911 when it began as International Women’s Day on the date of March 8. Evolving from International Women’s Day to International Women’s Week and then in to Women’s History Month.  Women’s History Month is to help spread to the people around the world of how important women are to the history of the world. Michael Mangual-Marquez, a sophomore majoring in speech pathology and the vice president of Sigma Theta Chi, commented, “[Sigma Theta Chi] values women deeply. We appreciate everything that women do in not only our society, but as well as throughout the world.”

McKelvey mentioned the accomplishments of women across the world who are paving the way for all, “women [like] Michelle Obama who is trying to spread the importance of fitness and healthy lifestyle, Maria Estela Isabel Martinez de Peron who was the first female president of Argentina, Anne Frank who has given millions of people an inside look of how living during the Holocaust was through her writing.”

All in all, the event was very successful and sent a great message to those students that made the pledge. As said by McKelvey, Women’s History Month is a month to help celebrate the “women who have help transformed and shape the history of United States of America [and other countries] today.”  

McKelvey also comments on how this event will not be the last event throughout the month of Women’s History Month.  PASU will hold a screening of a documentary film about dark and light skinned girls as well a few other events, so keep a look out for any upcoming events related to Women’s History Month on Cougar Link.