Karen Rosenberg and Julie Shayne speak on a panel in honor of Judy Howard

in honor of judy howard

University of Washington Professor Judy Howard is retiring as Divisional Dean of Social Sciences. On Monday June 5, Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies at the UW Seattle campus hosted a half day conference and reception to honor the career and mentoring of Judy. Included in the program was a panel titled “Feminist Scholarly Mentorship and Publishing,” on which both Karen Rosenberg and Julie Shayne were invited panelists.

Howard, a professor of sociology, formerly the chair of what was then called Women Studies at the UW, has spent decades mentoring graduate students and faculty, advancing feminist research and publishing, and serving the profession at large. Speaker after speaker recalled with love and gratitude the attention Howard showed them and her work in general. She was applauded as a feminist mentor, researcher, teacher, and administrator.

Karen Rosenberg spoke in her capacity as a former graduate student in now Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies at the UW Seattle campus, where Judy served as her dissertation chair. Julie Shayne spoke in her capacity as a fellow feminist sociologist and grateful recipient of Howard’s advice which empowered Shayne to make the career change that landed her at UW Bothell. Shayne ended her remarks – and the panel – with these words: “Really, I should have just answered the questions [what is feminist mentoring and its legacies] this way: If you want to know what feminist mentoring looks like then look at the work and legacy of Judy Howard.” Rosenberg and Shayne were honored to sit on the panel and are grateful for all of the support Judy has given them, and thus GWSS at UW Bothell.