Boston Public Library features map by Agnes Holbrook, Class of 1892

The Boston Public Library is showing an exhibit that highlights the role of women in cartography, or mapmaking, a subject which has often been ignored. The “Women in Cartography: Five Centuries of Accomplishments” exhibit features Holbrook’s work among the 40 pieces on display. Holbrook’s map shows immigrant settlements in Chicago and was one of the first maps of immigration patterns in a U.S. city. Holbrook lived in the Jane Addams Hull House as part of a group of women who provided educational and social help to the working class community. The group was also active in pushing for reform on issues such as immigration and women’s suffrage.

Professor Michael Jeffries consulted by national news outlets

Assistant Professor of American Studies Michael Jeffries has recently been asked for insight about race and politics in the United States for The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Jeffries talked to The Boston Globe about political correctness. He was also quoted by The New York Times about the use of the term “thug” as problematic, saying “ for someone who is labeled a thug by the state or by elected officials because of his or her racial or ethnic background, the power to stop that performance doesn’t exist.” His books include Paint the White House Black: Barack Obama and the Meaning of Race in America and Thug Life: Race, Gender, and the Meaning of Hip-Hop.

Students find connection between liberal arts and education

Many Wellesley students pursue the education field after graduation through involvement in K-12 schools, higher education or in other programs. Wellesley College’s Education Department offers introductory classes and opportunities for field work. Education Department Chair and education professor Barbara Beatty emphasizes the connection between liberal arts and education. The department encourages students to major in some liberal arts subjects and minor in education. “That’s the model for producing good teachers who are going to have the intellectual excitement for different content areas and be able to combine that with their understanding and excitement about how children learn.” This method has been successful for former students like Heather Haines ’08, who went on to win a Knowles Science Teaching Foundation Teaching Fellowship in 2008.

Professor Peggy Levitt weighs in on museums

Peggy Levitt, professor and chair of sociology at Wellesley College, was published in National Journal. Her opinion piece, “Museums Must Attract Diverse Visitors or Risk Irrelevance” expressed the need for museums to branch out beyond their traditional audiences. She described her visits to museums around the country and world. Levitt points out the Brooklyn Museum, which has made an effort to create a comfortable space and show the community why it is relevant. Levitt’s piece titled “Can Museums Create Common Ground in Diverse Societies” was published in Zocalo Public Square. In this piece, she says of museums “It won’t be easy, but their fundamental missions are to broaden our worldviews.”