Bay Path Celebrates Women on the Move for Women’s History Month

Longmeadow, MA— Bay Path women were on the move this month to celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day. Bay Path students, faculty, and staff took to the Massachusetts State House in Boston, as special guests of Longmeadow-based Senator Eric Lesser. While there, the students and Janine Fondon, Founder of the On the Move initiative and Bay Path Assistant Professor and Chair of Undergraduate Communications, received a proclamation in honor of On the Move 2019. During their visit, students learned about the history of Massachusetts legislation, and were urged to become a part of that history themselves, being compelled by Senator Lesser and several other legislative officials to become involved and to make their voices heard.  “The only way that we can allow younger voices to be heard is when individuals like you allow us to be here, so thank you for that,” responded student Anissa Nieves. The visit ended with a standing ovation from the Senate Chamber for Bay Path’s role in support of women and education.

The following day, women from all over the Springfield area came together to celebrate International Women’s Day for the third annual On the Move Forum to Advance Women. Harvard University’s Barbara Nobles Crawford joined the conversation as the event’s keynote speaker, addressing the United Nations Women’s Day theme: Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change. “Be a committed lifelong learner. It’s not about books. It’s about life. It’s about listening. It’s about growing,” stated Nobles Crawford as she addressed the crowd of almost two hundred attendees.

Following the event, attendee Dr. Ruth Bass Green summed up the experience with a feeling of empowerment. “Every one of us that has attended this event will feel that they have a responsibility to do something, to make a difference in the world,” she said. “And more than that, each of us know that we can.”