NOW’s Ireland receives honorary IU degree at Northwest commencement

Political activist spent her childhood in Valparaiso

During the day, Ireland attended a luncheon in the IU Northwest Gallery for Contemporary Art where she met members of the campus and community. Following the luncheon, Ireland gave a public presentation, “Deja’ Vu: Women in the New Millennium,” and attended the public reception held in her honor. Later in the afternoon, she received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from IU during commencement at the Radisson Hotel Star Plaza in Merrillville.

Ireland, who spent her childhood in Valparaiso, is said to be one of the most effective voices of the women’s rights movement. She attended DePauw University, later transferred to the University of Tennessee and married while in school there. A few years later, she began working as a stewardess at Pan American World Airways, where she took her first steps into the realm of political activism.

At Pan Am, she lodged a complaint that ultimately caused the airline to change a major health benefit policy. Several years later, Ireland returned to school, graduated from the University of Miami School of Law with high honors and became one of the first women named a partner at a corporate law firm.

For the last ten years, Ireland has served as president of NOW, the largest feminist organization in the United States. During her tenure, she has fought for the election of women to higher office, lobbied for legislation combating violence against women and aided in forging relationships among various rights organizations.

Just last month, Ireland addressed thousands of people who were attending the Emergency Action for Women’s Lives Rally in Washington, D.C. More than 150 organizational and congressional sponsors, as well as representatives from more than 160 college campuses, were in attendance.

http://www.indiana.edu/campus/iu-northwest.html