March 11, 2022 Campus Voices | News | Women’s History Month | Engineering | Nursing | Entertainment | Español | Stang Stories 6
WOMEN’S HIS
IN HONOR OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, THE WICHITA
Maria Contreras-Lerma
Jessica Hulett
Moffett Library Custodian
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ontreras was born and raised in Julimes, Mexico. She came to the United States when she was 16 years-old in search of a better life. In May, Contreras will mark her 15th anniversary working for MSU. She is the daughter of Mexican farmers and comes from a family of six sisters and five brothers. Contreras’s dad also traveled back and forth to the United States for work when she was a child, leaving her mother to take care of the farm and field work. Contreras got her strong work ethic from her mother, who reminded her that one should always be dedicated to their job, no matter what it is. “She took care of all of us but all of us also helped her. She would work at home but she would also take care of field work. Sometimes she would take some of us with her to work when we were little. She would pick things like peanuts and chiles. She would also let us help her feed the animals. She was always a very hard worker,” Contreras said. Contreras’s assigned building is Moffett Library but she has worked in various buildings across campus throughout her many years at MSU. She said she enjoys working in the library because everyone there is very kind and helpful. She also said that being a woman means being a symbol to others. “Being a woman means being a symbol of strength and bravery and to persevere in any situation,” Contreras said.
Assistant to Dean of Fain Fine Arts College
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ulett grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada and graduated from high school in Vegas. From there, she got her certification in HR management from the University of Phoenix. This upcoming June, Hulett will have lived in Texas for 12 years. She said her better half is what brought her to Texas. “I met my better half in Vegas. We met one night at a country dance club... the night I met him, I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with him. He was in the Air Force and once he retired we settled here in Wichita Falls. My first job in Wichita was as a leasing agent for an apartment complex. I then later managed a complex myself and eventually got burned out by doing so. When I first came to work for MSU, I actually worked at the bookstore and then one day saw a job posting to be the secretary of [the] mass communication and theater department,” Hulett said. When she left the interview, she didn’t think she would get a call back. Hulett said she felt she wasn’t intellectual enough for the job. “I just wasn’t convinced that they were going to hire me... then three days later I received the phone call that the department was wanting to give me the position. I love the stability of MSU. I love the building I work in. It has such a good positive feeling to it and honestly every day I am excited to be here and work with the people that I work with; it makes my heart happy.”
Morgan M
Assistant Professor of M
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allory is the assistant p acting at MSU. Origina living in states such as about Mallory is that she is six fee because she enjoys helping people fully. Her favorite aspect about MS and students to create a safe spac ties and a sense of community. Ma Month focuses on women and lift month can be used to celebrate su “We very much need to be a po showcase what beautiful creature The woman that inspires her m and well-spoken woman who ach gender norms. Morgan Mallory w encouraging the empowerment o this can be accomplished by sugg placing them in roles usually hel speak up. “We are strong individually, could accomplish?” Mallory said.
