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Women's Historical Center Seeks New Director
The Board of Directors of the Michigan Women's Studies Association (MWSA) is accepting applications for the position of executive director of MWSA and the Michigan Women’s Historical Center (MWHC) & Hall of Fame Museum.  The executive director will provide strategic vision, leadership, and managerial oversight of the organization and facility in these broad areas:

  • Fiscal and budgetary management
  • Major responsibility for fundraising
  • Facility maintenance, upkeep, and utilization     
  • Staff management and administration
  • Community relations
  • Board development
  • Interaction with work-study programs on campuses
  • Management of “Friends of MWHC” membership, communication, etc.

Duties will include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Vision and Leadership

  • Develop, articulate and promote a vision for the museum in partnership with key stakeholders
  • Establish with the Board of Directors annual program goals
  • Oversee an array of formal and informal educational opportunities
  • Establish evaluation methodology for strategic planning

Financial Resource Development

  • In close coordination with the Board, develop and implement a strategic approach to financial resource development to sustain the operations of MWSA & MWHC
  • Spearhead development activities, including capital campaigns, direct mail campaigns, major gifts cultivation, and planned giving efforts
  • Supervise the major fundraising activity: the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame dinner and award ceremonies
  • Build base for more participation in gift shop promotions, facility rental and group tour business

Fiscal Management

  • Oversee the fiscal operation of MWSA & MWHC through budget planning and management processes
  • Prepare budget presentations and reports
  • Develop strategies to ensure cost savings
  • Oversee the management of all physical resources, including facility and equipment
  • Interact with the City of Lansing for such matters as lease arrangements

Human Resource Management

  • Recruit, hire and train professional and administrative support staff
  • Ensure staff goal setting and performance appraisals, at least annually
  • Provide ongoing staff supervision

Communications and Marketing

  • Provide leadership in marketing, public relations and promotional activities
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with donors, sponsors and stakeholders
  • Work toward building more attendance to the MWHC museum by broadening the public base and awareness

Community Relations

  • Serve as the representative of the MWSA & MWHC
  • Promote awareness of the MWSA & MWHC
  • Advocate on behalf of MWSA & MWHC
  • Develop appropriate community and academic relationships, both formal and informal
  • Collaborate with other organizations for the benefit of women’s studies and the recognition of Michigan women

 The salary for this position will be commensurate with experience. Educational and professional requirements include:

  • Undergraduate degree required, advanced degree preferred
  • Professional museum administration experience desirable
  • Demonstrated ability to raise money coupled with knowledge of museum environment
  • Ability to manage staff and maintain historic building
  • Knowledge of women’s history and/or work with women’s organizations essential

Candidates are asked to send resumes to the Michigan Women’s Historical Center and Hall of Fame, 213 W. Main Street, Lansing, MI  48933 or e-mail them to michiganwomen@sbcglobal.net. Application deadline is May 15, 2008.
 

2008 Hall of Fame Nominations Process Begins
 Dr. Gladys Beckwith, director of the Michigan Women’s Historical Center, recently announced that nominations are being accepted for the 2008 class of the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. The Hall commemorates more than 200 women of this state who have distinguished themselves in a variety of fields of endeavor.

Candidates for the Hall of Fame must meet one of three criteria:
--They were born in this state and achieved prominence here
--They were born in this state and achieved prominence elsewhere
--Or they were born elsewhere and achieved prominence here.

The nominated women may be living or deceased. Additionally, women’s organizations may be nominated to the Hall: e.g., the Woman’s Hospital Association (a 2007 honoree) of Lansing or the Sisters of Charity (1997 honorees).

All nominations must be submitted by mail on approved forms found at http://www.michiganwomenshalloffame.org/pages/nomination.htm. Alternatively, printed versions of the form may be obtained by calling the Michigan Women’s Historical Center and Hall of Fame at (517) 484-1880 or by e-mailing mail@michiganwomenshalloffame.org. The deadline for submissions is March 21, 2008.


 2007 Hall of Fame Honorees Are Inducted
 East Lansing's Kellogg Center was the site for the 24th annual Michigan Women's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner, at which eight outstanding women and one organization were inducted for 2007. The four Contemporary Division Honorees were Jane Briggs Hart, who trained to become one of the first female astronauts and presided at the founding meeting of NOW; Mary Brown, a former state representative, the first legislator to hold hearings on key women’s issues, and the co-founder of the Michigan Women’s Assembly; Dr. Haifa Fakhouri, president, CEO, and founder of the Arab American and Chaldean Council; and Kathleen Wilbur, a professional administrator and the first woman to lead three different departments in Michigan state government.

The five Historical Division Honorees were Dr. Gertrude Buck, a progressive author and education reformer; Emma Cole, noted botanist and chronicler of Grand Rapids area flora; Dr. Carolyn Geisel, a medical doctor who educated thousands as a public health lecturer on the Chautauqua circuit; Abigail Rogers, an educator and activist who fought for the admission of women to the state’s universities; and the Woman’s Hospital Association, which established Lansing’s first hospital and still serves the Sparrow Health System today.

The date for the 2008 ceremony is Wednesday, October 15; it will be held at the Sheraton Detroit Novi hotel.