The Women's Resource Center held its fifth annual awards ceremony Thursday night, honoring four Notre Dame women for their dedication and improvements to the University community.The Distinguished Notre Dame Woman Awards were presented this year to Kathleen Brannock, Howard hall rector; Ruthann Joh-ansen, professional specialist for arts and letters core; Catherine Perry, associate professor of French; and Catherine Pieronek, director of women's programs for the College of Engineering."When you put them together, how lucky we are to have them in our midst," said assistant to the president Chandra Johnson, the guest speaker at the awards ceremony. Stress-ing the importance of the "intra-generational reality of passing on the wisdom," Johnson said the award recipients and the female community, in general, play an integral role in the teaching and improvement of future generations."As we do what we do with our lives, those who come after us watch what we do, and they listen to what we say, and they examine the nature of our personal relationships," Johnson said."They are different people - they are better people - because of you."Senior Meredith Foley, president of the Women's Resource Center, described the accomplishments of the four honored women and read various excerpts from their nominations, submitted by colleagues and students. Johnson presented the honored women with their awards to the applause of the audience in South Dining Hall's Oak Room, including this year's judges, who were the recipients of the awards last year.Brannock is currently the rector of Howard Hall and also works in the General Counsel Office. A double Domer, she earned both her undergraduate and law degrees at Notre Dame.Johansen, an associate professor of American Studies, is the associate director of the College of Arts and Letters Core Course and a faculty fellow of the Kroc Institute for In-ternational Peace Studies. She is a scholar of the literature of Flannery O'Connor and has recently published a book about the experience of brain trauma.Perry is a professor in the department of Romance Languages and Literatures and is a member of the Nanovic Institute's Steering Committee. She helped begin the European film series and has been integral in establishing close ties with the French Consulate in Chicago.Pieronek, also a double Domer, is the director of the Women's Engineering Program. She has developed various tutoring and internship initiatives and promotes scholarships available to women studying engineering.The excerpts of the nominations read by Foley and Johnson lauded each woman's efforts to better the Notre Dame community, her dedication to students and her ability to inspire and motivate others within the community to strive for excellence both at the University, in the professional realm, and in life, in general.The Women's Resource Center, located on the third floor of LaFortune, exists as an information clearing house and referral center dedicated to increasing awareness about issues aff-ecting women on campus and around the world.
