VANCOUVER, Wash. – Three women were honored for inspiring, mentoring and empowering others at Washington State University Vancouver’s sixth annual Women of Distinction celebration. Held March 27, the event wrapped up Women’s History Month celebrations.
The awardees are Lauren Clark, a senior at Columbia River High School; Kim Stewart, a graduate student at WSU Vancouver; and Brenda Alling, director of marketing and communications at WSU Vancouver.
High School Woman of Distinction
Clark is an accomplished math student, member of Advancement Via Individual Determination and gifted tutor and speaker who champions the cause of education to other students. She has participated in and led numerous Girl Scouts activities and charitable events, as well as working with Knock and Walk food drives, Share House and other volunteer commitments.
WSU Vancouver Student Woman of Distinction (no photo available)
Stewart is a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor, a mother and a graduate student in the master’s of accounting program. A member of the executive team of the Institute of Management/Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society, she empowers students through the club and encourages them to give back to the community. She used her skills in networking and publicity to launch a highly successful peer tutoring program for accounting students that has officially become the Business Student Partnership Program.
Non-student Woman of Distinction
Alling formally and informally mentors many women on campus – students, faculty and staff – in professional skills, writing, conflict resolution and work-life balance. She mentors interns and campus media organizations. As a volunteer advisor, she helped bring the VanCougar student newspaper back to life after a hiatus. She supports her husband in his battle with cancer and is the mother of a 19-year-old son who experiences learning differences.
Women of Distinction is sponsored by the Office of Student Involvement at WSU Vancouver and Unitus Community Credit Union.