ICYMI – Title IX 50th anniversary celebrated at ‘Women Rising: Stories from Experience’ event
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay kicked-off a semester-long celebration of the 50th year of Title IX with a reception and panel discussion on Sept. 15, 2022, featuring female athletes and experts. The well-attended event—Women Rising: Stories from Experience—was held in Fort Howard Hall of the Weidner Center.
Title IX protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. Title IX states:
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
While Title IX prompted vast changes in sports programs and created more opportunities for women in college athletics over the past 50 years, it also has led to equality of higher education opportunities in many other ways. The program can be viewed in its entirety at the Title IX website.
Featured panelists included: Tracy Arndt, a member of the local community who was a decorated swimmer in local YMCA programs before becoming the first female swimmer at UW-Madison (prior to passage of Title IX.) She described a welcoming coach, but virtually no accommodations, equipment, medical care or support. In 2008, UW-Madison recognized her ground-breaking accomplishments, donning her a “Badger Legend.”
Jeanne Stangel, a NAIA All-American basketball player discussed the opportunities to play in the 1980s. The small-town girl (Algoma, Wis) with big dreams was enabled through athletics to develop confidence and leadership skills. Stangel is the current President and CEO of Curative Connections, Green Bay.
Tiffany Paalman, current UW-Green Bay volleyball team captain, Christopher Paquet, UW-Green Bay’s assistant vice-chancellor of Policy & Compliance and Title IX coordinator, and Green Bay volleyball head coach Abbey Sutherland also shared their perspectives on Title IX and its influence on current university sports and policy.
See more on the Title IX website, including a video featuring UW-Green Bay’s first women’s basketball and Hall of Fame Coach Carol Hammerle, who discusses the impact that Title IX had on her career, and those she coached. Her tenure as head coach set the foundation for the Green Bay women’s basketball program, which hasn’t had a losing season since the late 1970s.
You can view the full evening’s presentation via this link.
