Stabenow reflects on tenure in Senate

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) told an audience that the number of women in the Senate might be small but they are powerful in voice and actions.

Stabenow was the first speaker in the "Women and Politics" series sponsored by the Women's Center. She spoke September 9 in the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences.

"There may be only 17 women in the Senate, but if there is something that I have learned over the years is that we work well across the aisle and when we work together across the aisle we make change happen," she said.

She reminded people in the audience that this year marks the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right the vote. "Don't take for granted the struggle that came before you, please exercise your right to vote," Stabenow said.

Stabenow was the first woman elected from Michigan to the U.S. Senate. Prior to her election to the U.S. Senate, Stabenow served one term in Congress after serving as a Michigan legislator for 16 years.

The next event in the Women and Politics series will be on October 27 when Grand Rapids City Commission Rosalynn Bliss will join others for a panel discussion on "Women, Environment and Local Politics." It will run from 3-4:15 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center, room 2204.

Other campus departments supporting the series are Political Science, Women and Gender Studies, Office of Multicultural Affairs, Sustainable Community Development Initiative and University Relations. The White House Project, a nonprofit organization, is also a co-sponsor.