Matt Andrew

Women of all ages attended the 14th Annual Women’s Creativity Conference to come together in honor of all women.

“It brings people from all over the states to celebrate everything women have done creatively,” said senior Nicole Farias.

Held by the Quinnipiac Women’s Studies program, the conference included nine events including women speaking about the creative aspects of their life, meditation and cloth design.

Sponsored by the university, the event was open to the public as well as students. An estimated 150 people were in attendance.

Professor Michelle Hoffnung, Director of Women’s Studies and Professor of Psychology said that each year the conference is exciting for the university.

“The Women’s Studies Program wanted a way to honor women, and each year it has been members of the faculty and staff who put it on voluntarily.”

Keynote speaker Mary Vreeland began the day in Buckman Theatre. A deaf stage and television actress, Vreeland performed, this past week, in the production of “Medea” at the Long Wharf Theatre along with Quinnipiac Students.

Vreeland spoke about how her perspective on the world has been formed by being deaf, as well as other experiences which shaped her into the woman she is today.

In her speech, Vreeland said, “It is very important to me to apply a woman’s perspective into my work. I always tried to take my role as a feminist and put it into my artwork.”

Vreeland has received a Helen Hayes Award for outstanding supporting actress as well as the Loreen Arbus Award from the Los Angeles Women in Film Foundation.

Professor Betty Lou Blumberg, professor of English said, “The best thing [Vreeland] said is that she is a feminist and that she did not want women to put on a mask for society because it becomes too hard to take off.”

Among the events was a discussion led by the campus group WAVE, Women Activists and Allies Vocalizing Equality. On the panel for the discussions which the group led was, Jan Ferraro (Class of ’06) a certified childbirth educator, junior Christina Giana, senior Leah Silverstone and sophomore Bianca Ursillo.

The group has been working to raise awareness about issues regarding sexual assault and domestic violence, as well as political involvement and human rights.

Also in attendance was Cai Emmons, author of “His Mother’s Son,” and “The Stylist.” Emmons spoke about how the mind blends its obsessions into one cohesive work, attempting to outline the process of writing.

“Overall, I think the event is very successful,” Hoffnung said.

“Events like this are about women sharing their life experiences with other women in order to shape new experiences,” Vreeland said

“Let young women find who they are as individuals.”