Newswise — Mills College announced today the new Barbara Lee Distinguished Chair in Women's Leadership, confirming the College's status as a preeminent leader in women's education. The endowed Chair was established in recognition of senior U.S. Congresswoman Lee, a Mills alumna (Class of 1973), for her outstanding leadership, conviction, and courage in politics, policy, and human rights.
The Chair will be held by a national expert in her field who is also a widely recognized scholar. Funding for the position was provided by Mills alumna Susan Penick (Class of 1971) of the Albert Penick Fund and an anonymous estate gift.
"The Barbara Lee Distinguished Chair in Women's Leadership honors the extraordinary public leadership of Congresswoman Lee and her exceptional work across the borders of ideological and cultural difference," said Janet L. Holmgren, President of Mills. "This Chair will bring an exemplary scholar to teach and provide visionary leadership within Mills' dynamic multicultural environment."
According to Congresswoman Lee, "This distinguished honor is not about me personally, but about this great institution of higher education inspiring women to shake things up, to challenge the status quo, to recognize the absolute requirement for academic excellence."
She added, "This Chair is part of the process of societal change and reminding women what our great sister suffragette Susan B. Anthony said, 'failure is not an option.' There is no reason why we cannot have Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, or 250 women in Congress instead of 70, or a woman in the White House. In fact, I think it would do this country some good."
Congresswoman Lee pointed out that she thinks of Mills College "every time I make a decision for the county and the country."
Congresswoman Barbara Lee was first elected to represent California's Ninth Congressional District in 1998, in a special election to fill the seat of retiring Congressman Ronald Dellums. She is the senior-most female Democrat on the House International Relations Committee, where she serves on the Africa and Western Hemisphere Subcommittees.
Congresswoman Lee is also a member of the House Financial Services Committee, Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Whip for the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and a Senior Democratic Whip. She serves as Chair of the CBC Task Force on Global HIV/AIDS and Co-Chair of the CBC Haiti Task Force.
Congresswoman Lee earned international attention as the only member of Congress to vote against the resolution authorizing the President to use force against persons aiding the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. She sponsored legislation disavowing the doctrine of preemptive war, co-sponsored legislation to create a cabinet level Department of Peace, and has led the bipartisan effort in Congress to end the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
Congresswoman Lee earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Mills, and a master of social work from UC Berkeley. Mills awarded her an honorary doctor of laws degree in 1999.
Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs for undergraduate women, and graduate degree and certificate programs for women and men. Consistently ranked among the top 75 liberal arts colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Mills is also recognized as one of the country's 20 most diverse liberal arts colleges. The Princeton Review selected Mills as one of 11 colleges for first-time inclusion in its Best 361 Colleges in 2005. Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California on 135 lush acres, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women's leadership, social responsibility, and creativity.
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