“A girl should be two things: who and what she wants,” said Victoria Kerr, Executive Director of the Shippensburg University Career Center.

Shippensburg University celebrated the contributions of female leaders across campus on March 5 with its annual International Women’s Day Event and Gero Awards ceremony. The event was hosted by SU’s Center for Global Education, Women’s and Gender Studies Department, Pride and Gender Equity (PAGE) Center, and the Office of Inclusion, Belonging and Social Equity. 

According to SU, International Women’s Day is a global day that celebrates the social, economic, political and cultural achievements of women. The day is a call to action for women’s equality, and the awards honor those who have made a remarkable contribution to the status and the atmosphere of women on campus. 

The ceremony awarded three members of the campus community: one student, one staff member and one faculty member. There were three additional awards given to other individuals at SU who have made an impact regarding women’s safety, inclusion and equality. 

The nominees for the student award were Jenna Cornell, Taneya Nixon and Madi Shively. Staff award nominees included Marsha Bonn, Megan Silverstrim and Danielle Surotchak. The nominees for the faculty award were Carrie Sipes, Erica Galioto, Sharnine Herbert, Corinne Bertram and the Social Work and Gerontology Department.

Cornell received the first Gero Award. She is a senior and the General Manager for SU’s student-run radio station, WSYC 88.7 FM. Among other areas of knowledge, Cornell is known for her advocacy for women’s and human rights at SU. 

Director of the PAGE Center Miller Hoffman thanked Cornell “for her work as an It’s On Us peer educator with the PAGE Center and for her work throughout campus to demystify and to normalize women’s embodied sexuality.” 

Herbert received the faculty award. She has dedicated her life to the women of SU from her work as the former chair of Communications Studies and Ethnic Studies, director of the Frederick Douglass Institute, COST Internship Coordinator and Interim Associate Dean of the College of Education and Business. 

“To me, femininity is one’s ability to choose what that means to them. To be nonrestrictive, non-confirmative and, really, to embrace one’s own identity,” Herbert said. “To me, femininity is your ability to choose and your right to choose.”  

Director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program Misty Knight said, “Her work and words support and challenge students through her advisorship, committee and college leadership, and mentorship.” 

The staff award was given to Marsha Bonn for her “tireless advocacy, for her championship for students and the unique challenges of women in higher education, for her leadership of ShipCARES and the work that is done there, often, personally, by Marsha, to address trauma and other barriers to success,” said Hoffman. 

The ShipCARES program offers solutions to challenges that students face within their college career. Bonn’s contributions include organizing resources to students who face academic or mental health struggles; she raises awareness and advocacy for policy changes for women and all students — regardless of gender. 

Honorable award-receivers included José Ricardo-Osorio, Stephanie Jirard and Shari Horner. 

“Dr. Ricardo is an advocate who has voluntarily earned Green Dot trainer certification in 2019 and, again, in 2025 to promote a campus culture of intervention and prevention of sexual allowance, assault and harm,” said Knight. 

Jirard received the Director’s Legacy Award. This award goes to a person who has “taught us, and is teaching us, that one person can make a difference, that one person can mobilize community, that each of us has a responsibility to contribute to a better and a more just world, and that this responsibility is ongoing,” said Hoffman.

“That passion and legal expertise drives her to seek out against the injustices, facing incarcerated women and those sentenced to the death penalty,” Knight said. “She challenges those she works with, particularly women, to do better and be better. Her friendship and mentorship energizes all of us lucky enough to dwell in her presence.” 

Another award was given to Horner. She brought the nation’s first Plan B vending machine to Shippensburg University, and her books highlight gender literacy and violence in Medieval English literature. Horner serves as a mentor and friend to many students and faculty members across campus. 

“It’s been really important to me to [also] kind of model for the students or junior faculty members that your babies matter, your families matter — even if you don’t have babies, your families matter,” Horner said. “Take care of each other, take care of other women. Women have to take care of other women.” 

Kerr touched on key points during her speech including the importance of perseverance and resilience while carrying the desire to break barriers. 

“Keep in mind, our growth often requires patience, care and the right environment to thrive. So let us nurture each other’s potential — empower us to soar just like a butterfly,” Kerr said.

She, additionally, encouraged women to lean into the fight, promote knowledge and celebrate strength.

Kerr discussed a quote from Maya Angelou, who was an American memoirist, poet and civil rights activist. She recited, “I am a woman phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.” 

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