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March 2008

Institute Update for March, 2008

Remembering Connie Karr

Statehouse Sisters

Breckenridge to headline Academy dinner

European Business Leaders Visit St. Louis

Show Me the Women

Candidates learn the art of campaigning

Statehouse Sisters describe their motivation, methods of public service

Curator Cheryl Walker, Senator Maida Coleman and Rep. Jamilah Nasheed discuss issues at the Statehouse Sisters program

UM System Board of Curators President Cheryl Walker (left), State Sen. Maida Coleman, and State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed explained how they came to be public servants at the Sue Shear Institute's fifth annual Statehouse Sisters panel discussion. The program was held in the Millennium Student Center on the UM-St. Louis campus on Feb. 15 in honor of Black History Month.

Breckenridge will give Academy Keynote

Mark your calendar for Thursday, May 22 for this year's annual 21st Century Leadership Academy Keynote Dinner. We're delighted to have Missouri's newest Supreme Court Judge, Patricia Breckenridge as our keynote speaker. This year's dinner, culminating a week of intensive leadership training for 36 Missouri college students, will be held at Le Chateau in Frontenac. Stay tuned for more information on tickets.

St. Louis hosts European business women

Dayna Stock with group of European women

The Sue Shear Institute in February hosted a group of six international business women in St. Louis as part of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, which is arranged by the World Affairs Council. The women came from Belgium, France, Germany, Northern Ireland, Russia and Slovakia.

Institute's Stock presents paper on
women and term limits

In February, Institute Manager Dayna Stock presented her paper titled, "Show Me the Women: Term Limits and Representation in Missouri" at an Institute for Women's and Gender Studies colloquium on the UM-St. Louis campus. Stock's paper examines the effects term limits have on the number of women in the state legislature.

The topic was timely, as eight women will be leaving the legislature this year because of term limits. In addition, filing for the statewide primary in August opened on Feb. 26. As of March 3, six women had filed in five statewide or Congressional races, nine women had filed in seven state Senate races and 53 women had filed in 47 state House races. Women made up about 21 percent of the 325 candidates filed - about the same as their current representation in the legislature. Filing closes at 5 p.m. on March 25. Check out our website for a complete list of women candidates who have filed for the 2008 primary election.

 


Remembering
Connie Karr

The Sue Shear Institute mourns the loss of our friend and enthusiastic supporter, Kirkwood City Council member Connie Karr.

Connie Karr with microphone

Karr attended the Institute's Pipeline to Local Office workshop in January, 2001 and was elected to the Kirkwood City Council in 2002. She was running for mayor of Kirkwood when she died last month.

Institute Director Vivian Eveloff remembered Karr stood out in the class."She distinguished herself by her drive and optimism," Eveloff said.  "She had a clear vision of how to win her election and then tackle her community’s greatest needs."

Karr returned to the Pipeline to Local Office program in 2003 as a faculty member. And in September, 2007, she participated in the Institute's "Women Walk Before They Run" event , proudly distributing her red and white "Connie Karr for Mayor" stickers.

Roberta Holst had known Karr for years but lost touch until they both showed up for the 2001 Pipeline workshop. Holst saw her again at the "Women Walk" event last year.

Karr's commitment to public service was borne from an authentic desire to help people, Holst said. "There are certain people who dabble," Holst said. "Connie wasn't one of them. "She wanted to make change happen."

Karr was one of five Kirkwood officials killed by a resident during a city council meeting in February.

Pipeline participants learn art of campaigning

Despite a snowy interuption, nine people, including five candidates for municipal offices, took part in the Sue Shear Institute's annual Pipeline to Local Office. The second day of the two-day class was postponed a week, due to a snowstorm, but candidates from Florissant to Valley Park convened to hear more from veteran campaigners.

Faculty members included Webster Groves Mayor Gerry Welch, former St. Louis Community College District Board Member Mikki Brewster and former Meramec Valley School Board Member Kristina Starr.

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Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life
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816-235-1409

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