Martin-Stanley named 2008 UW System Woman of Color in Education

Barbara Martin-Stanley, UW-L Transfer Admissions Counselor, was recently named one of the 2008 UW System Outstanding Women of Color in Education. This award, established in 1994, honors sixteen women from around the state who have made noteworthy contributions to their campuses and surrounding communities. Martin-Stanley is in her seventh year at UW-L. She worked for the last six and a half years in the Master of Education Professional Development Program in the School of Education before transferring to the Admissions Office. Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, she attended Smith College in Massachusetts before receiving her Master's degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Martin-Stanley has been an active leader in both the campus and the community. On campus, she serves as the advisor of the Black Student Unity (BSU), presents talks to UW-L classes about diversity and was a member of a panel sponsored last year by LASO about issues facing women today. She hopes to become involved with Campus Climate's Awareness Through Performance. Martin-Stanley also lends her vocal talents at UW-L basketball games by singing the National Anthem. In the community, she continues her service. She started a group in her church called "God's Little Lights" that travels throught the La Crosse area. The group is made up of children from diverse backgrounds, and they participate in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and other events in the region. She served on a panel about "Experiencing Race and Racism in Wisconsin," and has been a member of a planning committee for the Dr. Martin Luther King celebration. Martin-Stanley also started groups "Women of Wellness" (WOW) and "Wellness in the House" (WITH) as an outlet for women and young men, respectively. In addition, she works with the tutoring program at the local YMCA. Barbara Martin-Stanley is not done yet. She wants to help show women how to take time for themselves by continuing to develop community group WOW and by starting similar groups for younger women and older citizens. She plans to carry on working to further awareness of women's issues and particularly issues faced by women of color. According to Martin-Stanley, ignorance gets a bad beat. Some people don't understand other points of view simply because they haven't been exposed to them. "Prejudice founded in ignorance can be combated with awareness," she said. Her vision for the La Crosse region is a noble one. She looks forward to a day when people seek out those who are aware for guidance, and then share their newfound awareness with others. "Always strive to believe in the goodness of yourself as well as the goodness of others. Believing is a journey, just like knowledge," she said. The awards ceremony and luncheon will be held Saturday, April 5, 2008 on the UW-Green Bay campus. The event is organized and supported by the UW System Women's Studies Consortium and Office of Academic Diversity and Development.

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