Featured Story

Foreword

By Anna Karla Carreño

One of my favorite quotes about women is the one used against Senator Elizabeth Warren- "Nevertheless, she persisted." The phrase was coined after she read a letter written by Coretta Scott King on the Senate floor. She did this in protest of Jeff Sessions being nominated for Attorney General. Senator Mitch McConnell objected, but Warren kept going. After more protesting, the Senate ruled to silence Warren. Following said ruling, Senator McConnell said, "She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted." Soon after, feminists adopted the short phrase as a war cry. Signs carrying the phrase on them were waved at women's protests and marches; the hashtag #ShePersisted went viral on social media. Women all over the world rallied to the call, and the phrase exploded. Why did those three short words resonate so deeply with women?

This month's issue celebrates Women's History Month. This month not only celebrates the power of a woman, but the magnitude of her resilience. This phrase encapsulates the struggle women face with being silenced. For thousands of years, women have been left out of the global narrative, pushed to the sidelines and ignored. The role of women in history has been diminished to the point of insignificance. Women are written out of battlefields, politics and the arts, despite their contributions to each. But in spite of all of this, women have continued to fight for their right to be included.

Today, women enjoy rights and privileges that our predecessors could only dream of- but there is still much to be done. We reflect on the women who paved the way for students and teachers at Washington Adventist University, and we also look forward to the future of womankind in current students at WAU. As we continue to face adversity in these uncertain times, let us all remember to persist.

"You Who Walked... So we

Interview with Professor Deborah Brown Student Association President 1974-75 by Max Pierre

What were the deciding factors which pushed you to run for Student Association President?

There were many factors, but the dominant one was my experience as a student missionary. I served in Roorkee, India as the first SDA student missionary the year before I ran, and that experience was humbling and education al. After that experience, I had a desire to work for change.

What did the position require from you? What were the responsibilities?

My sense is that the duties and responsibilities were similar to those required of the SA President today—represent the SA to the Board; listen to the st udent concerns and explore solutions; work with the rest of the officers to plan and implement events designed to im prove the quality of student life; represent the SA to the Adventist Intercollegiate Association (AIA).

In your opinion why were you the first woman elected SA President?

I don’t know if I am able to answer that. I do know, however, t hat the arguments against a woman running were insulting and revealing. For example, a woman would not be able to handle the stress because of her recurring hormonal iss ues!

Do you miss being SA President? How is it different from what you do today?

As a faculty member, I have the opportunity to be involved with students daily, so I am still privileged with that perk of the job. However, I have often felt conflicted between administrative and instructional roles. When I took my doctoral coursework, I ran for and was elected to a similar position, except it was repres enting graduate, medical, and law students. The work was so rewarding and affirming that I ran for it (unopposed) for a second year. I am grateful that based on my leadership, an annual award in my name was established and is still given to an outstanding leader each year. Based on my work, I was offered a position as an administrative assistant to the Chancellor of the University, but teaching has al ways been my primary passion, so I declined.

What are some of your favorite memories from the position?

Definitely working with peers toward a common goal and establishing life long friendships. Dean Bouland, legal counsel for the University, was the SA Executive Vice President. Every time I see him, he reminds me of one of the slogans students promoted to g et me elected: “Get Down, Vote Brown.” Remem ber—this was during the time of the Vietnam War, Watergate, Apartheid in South Africa. There was a palpable sense of the need and possibility for change.

What are some of your favorite things about your current position?

I am blessed in that even after almost 40 years, I am still lea rning from students! I also am inspired by the dedication and leadership of my faculty colleagues who—despite demandin g workloads in an age of government and institutional compliance—work every day to support WAU students as they make progress toward graduation.

Interview with Dr. Deborah Thurlow

CUC Alumna and WAU Faculty by MacKenzie Cush

What is your position here at WAU? Briefly describe your role.

I am an associate professor of music. I oversee the voice majors and minors and especially assist Dr Lau in any matters related to the solo vocal courses. Currently i teach Musicianship I & 2, the music history sequence and direct Performance Workshop. I also have been responsible for the voice performance coursework, such as Diction for S ingers, Vocal Literature, and Vocal Pedagogy and Practicum.

How long have you been employed at WAU?

This is my 30th school year.

Does being a woman impact the work you do at WAU? If so, how?

I suppose I have a "motherly" way of mentoring and aim to always be empathetic and likely too lenient in many cases. I aim to always bring clarity and directness to any situation where a student needs assistanc e and advice and direction. Not that other m ale colleagues are not that way. Since our full-time faculty has always been male, hopefully my voice adds a different spin and outlook in any faculty decisions made. I credit Dr Lau for this change, especially putting 2 women (incl uding Melanie Kwan) on the ranked part-time/full-time faculty.

From your feminine perspective, how do you think the campus/department has evolved since you first began teaching here?

As I ended in the last question, I am very grateful and happy that Dr Lau added me to ranked part-time faculty (meaning I have an associate professor status after 30 years!) Along with our newest female Director of music therapy, Melanie Kwan. For 28 years I have been simply an adjunct and all the ranked faculty part-time or full-time were white mal es. Now we have a more diverse ranked faculty: Asian, African-American, Latino, and Caucasian. This is a much better balance for our diverse student body. O f course I must play tribute to our long-time former chair Dr. James Bingham who really transformed a dying music dept (esp when I was a student at CUC!). He assisted the then President to start the fundraising that built our current music building and was able with current Pres Spence to finish it. He brought Virginia-Gene Rittenhouse with him which gave CUC an orchestra in residence. After the new m usic building was built, Drs. Bingham, Lau, and Di Pinto worked extremely hard to achieve our accreditation with the National Assn of Schools of Music (NASM). This has brought more majors/minors to WAU and had allowed us to ultimately begin the musi c therapy major and SGPS equivalency. Dr Lau has finished the mountains of work it took and numerous hurdles to achieve the national accreditation to offer th e music therapy. We are the only collegiate institution in MD to have this degree and the only SDA collegiate institution to offer it.

Interview with Dr. Hemmings by Max Pierre

Why did you choose to be in the field of Religion? What drives you?

I hardly want to say I “chose” the field even though I could have accepted the scholarship to study at University of the West Indies. I believe I was “chosen” due to a set of circumstances which the scope of this interview does not allow me to explain.

How does it feel to blaze a trail for Women Pastors?

I have never been aware of “blazing a trail for women pastors”. When I enrolled at the SDA university in Jamaica to study Theology, I was taken aback by the response of some male students, and the student body as a whole (they called me “pastor”). I did not know that it was an extraordinary thing. (I grew up in the Baptist church, and my mother was the one who preached in the pastor’s absence.) And yet the department chair then and future chairs were always encouraging, affirming and helpful as they realized that more women were needed in ministry. It was the attempt of some male students to discourage me that strengthened my resolve. I realized then, that there is something terribly wrong here that must change. I saw myself then as an agent of that needed change. Through much disillusionment, prayers and tears, I still stand in the strength of the Spirit and encouraged by the Hope of the Ages.

What are some of your favorite aspects of Religion? And of your current position?

For the first part of my journey in Religious studies, my focus has been on knowledge. I give thanks for it. My deep study of the Bible, World Religions in General, culture, and philosophy is a privilege for which I give thanks. To understand the Bible in its profundity is to understand the human struggle against its own self and its own life, and most importantly to hear the voice of the Hebrew prophets, Jesus and the Early Church inviting us into the liberating thing that is life. This has propelled me onto the second leg of my journey in my own quest for Spiritual liberation. If I were not conscious of the teachings of the Gospel and its witness to the Christ Event (not the distorted Christian version), it is not likely that I would have any religious affiliation today. It is that undistorted version that I seek to present in my teaching and preaching.

In your opinion, should there be more women in this field?

As long as the female pastor remains a novelty, there will be pockets of resistance allover the world church. Women pastors bring to ministry what male pastors cannot (and vice versa). A male dominated ministry is distorted and contrary to Creation. It perpetuates an alienated humanity as it subliminally suggests that only men bear divine image, and thus only men can represent God. A male dominated ministry is an apt demonstration of the condition of SIN in which humanity unconsciously (or consciously) persists.

Knowing what you know now, would you stay in this field if you had to do it all over again?

My call is from that which infinitely exceeds me or the church. I have no reason to consider whether or not I would do it again. I am so grateful for this privilege to serve in all the capacities that I have served. I am so grateful for the “mountains and the valleys and the storms that God has brought me through.” God called me to save me and to use me. To that I surrender in “total dependence”. I go wherever God leads. It is not about me. This is not my life; it is God’s life.