‘Persistent’ coach, trailblazers celebrated at MTSU National Women’s History Month kickoff

MTSU kicked off its National Women’s History Month festivities by celebrating a native Tennessean while also honoring a group of women leaders on the Blue Raider campus.

At the March 1 opening ceremony, the late University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt was revealed as the woman featured on buttons being distributed around campus.

Two of Summitt’s former players, MTSU assistant women’s basketball coach Shalon Pillow and business owner Tiffany Woosley, spoke in tribute to Summitt, who died in 2016 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

MTSU assistant women’s basketball coach Shalon Pillow, a former player under the late legendary UT head coach Pat Summitt, speaks during the March 1 kickoff of MTSU’s National Women’s History Month events at the Student Union. (MTSU photo by Eric B. Sutton)

In conjunction with the monthlong theme of “Nevertheless She Persisted,” four members of the MTSU community were honored as the 2018 National Women’s History Month Trailblazers, along with a “future trailblazer.”

The honorees are Beverly Keel, chair of the Department of Recording Industry; Dr. Debra Sells, vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment services; Diane Turnham, senior associate athletic director and women’s senior administrator; Jackie Victory, director of student organizations and service; and Abbigail Tracy-Thomson, a junior majoring in statistics and public relations, who was selected as the 2018 Future Trailblazer.

Tracy-Thomson is the student grant coordinator for the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students, where she plans events and campaigns dedicated to campus nonviolence. In addition, she is a Student Government Administration senator representing the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

These women were chosen to be the 2018 National Women’s History Month Trailblazers by the MTSU National Women’s History Month Committee for their unwavering support of women and girls. They are, from left, Beverly Keel, chair of the Department of Recording Industry; Diane Turnham, senior associate athletic director and women’s senior administrator; Debra Sells, vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment services; Jackie Victory, director of student organizations and service; and Abbigail Tracy-Thomson, a statistics and public relations major, the 2018 Future Trailblazer. (MTSU photo by Eric B. Sutton)

The 2018 National Women’s History Month Trailblazers, selected by the MTSU National Women’s History Month Committee for their unwavering support of women and girls, are, from left, Beverly Keel, chair of the Department of Recording Industry; Diane Turnham, senior associate athletic director and women’s senior administrator; Dr. Debra Sells, vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment services; Jackie Victory, director of student organizations and service; and Abbigail Tracy-Thomson, a statistics and public relations major, the 2018 Future Trailblazer. (MTSU photo by Eric B. Sutton)

“The MTSU National History Month Committee honored these five outstanding women for their unrelenting and inspirational persistence in advocating for women and girls,” said Barbara Scales, committee chair and director of the June Anderson Center.

A variety of National Women’s History Month activities are slated throughout the month of March. For a complete listing, go to www.mtsu.edu/jac/docs/NWHM-calendar.pdf.

— Gina Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)

The late University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt is depicted on buttons distributed March 1 at MTSU’s National Women’s History Month opening ceremony. (MTSU photo by Eric B. Sutton)

Business owner Tiffany Woosley, a former player under the late legendary UT head coach Pat Summitt, speaks during the March 1 kickoff of MTSU’s National Women’s History Month events at the Student Union. (MTSU photo by Eric B. Sutton)