Clarkson University Hosts Women in Media Conference



by Timothy W. Scee II
Special to Newzjunky.com
Published October 4, 2010

POTSDAM, N.Y.  —  “We see certain social characteristics, cultural values, actually being built into a definition that constructs the way people should think about male, masculinity, or female, feminine,” Dr. Jennifer L. Ball, a panelist at Clarkson University’s “Do you like what you see? How to Engage the Social Impact of Media on Women and Girls” seminar, said to the conference’s audience Friday. 

A panel of four speakers, including Cathy M. Pircsuk, general manager and vice president of WWNY-TV, along with members of Value U, a Clarkson campus division of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), answered questions and heard stories from over 30 participants on gender roles in society in the Cheel Campus Center. 

“When you guys are talking to day, telling a story, telling us about your experiences, telling us about other people’s experiences, we want you to tell us how it is and how it goes,” one member of Value U said.  

Student panelists of Value U, founded in 2008 at Clarkson, made it clear that audience members wouldn’t be judged for their comments.  



Making a point that gender roles have been planted in the minds of society, Ball asked the audience, “If I say to you ‘football player,’ what do you think?” 

“Male,” audience members unanimously replied. 

Representatives from Jefferson Community College, Watertown, Clarkson University, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton were in attendance. 

Dr. Jessica L. Willis, general studies divisional editor of the Online Journal of Integrated Social Sciences, along with Deborah A. Borie, a SUNY Potsdam graduate, shared stories with the audience before Pircsuk lead a question and answer session on corporate media.  

Value U, according to its Facebook page, says, “We are college age women empowered to be females with positive images and choices for women in everyday life. our focus is on team dynamics and the physical and social well being and we are promoting positive social behavior in teen girls.” 

Several males, apparently members of Value U, joined the “college age women” to answer audience questions also.  

The parent organization, AAUW, has a similar mission: “AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.” 

After the conference, Value U members posted on Facebook, “Thank you to everyone who came today. It was great to have representation from all four colleges. We hoped we helped you as much as you helped us.

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