Two receive Women’s Philanthropy Council ‘Champion’ awards

An assistant dean in the School of Education and the coordinator of new faculty services in the office of the Secretary of the Faculty are the recipients of the inaugural Women’s Philanthropy Council (WPC) Champion Awards at UW–Madison.

Jeff Hamm, the assistant dean for Academic Services in the School of Education, and Lindsey Stoddard Cameron, who works with three key women’s issues programs, were honored at the WPC’s Biennial Forum on Nov. 10. They each will have the opportunity to designate a $5,000 grant to a program benefiting women at UW–Madison.

Hamm has been a member of the campus Committee on Women since fall 2000, serving as co-chair from 2001-02 through 2004-05. He also co-chaired that committee’s climate working group, whose mission included defining, describing and promoting ways to improve the campus climate for women. He is a member of a group of four white men who meet regularly to explore their commitment and actions around issues of race and gender.

“I was completely surprised and quite moved by this honor,” Hamm says. “Thanks to the council for their generosity and for their commitment to women’s issues on campus.”

Hamm has not selected a recipient for his grant.

“Jeff has been a staunch supporter of creating a better environment for women, both through his long service on the Committee on Women and its climate working group, and through his position in the School of Education,” says Linda Keller, atmospheric science researcher and co-chair of the Committee on Women. “His commitment to finding ways to improve the climate for both his staff and women on this campus is inspiring.”

Stoddard Cameron joined the office of the Secretary of the Faculty in fall 1996, and she began staffing the Committee on Women in the University later that year. She also has been on the Campus Childcare Committee since 2002 and has been its chair since fall 2004. She has worked with four associate vice chancellors to develop resources and to plan and implement campus-wide initiatives such as sexual harassment information sessions and climate days of listening.

“I was truly surprised and thrilled to have an opportunity to participate in making this gift from the Women’s Philanthropy Council to the School of Human Ecology’s building project, where it will help create infant care space and programming in a beautiful new preschool facility,” Stoddard Cameron says. “I hope this gift designation will inspire others to contribute to the project and support UW–Madison faculty, staff and student families.”

“Lindsey’s work with the Committee on Women, Women Faculty Mentoring Program, Campus Childcare and New Faculty Programs is the backbone of all that UW–Madison offers women on this campus,” says Jennifer Sheridan, executive director and research director for the Women in Science and Engineering Leadership Institute. “Everything she does is with an eye toward how it will benefit women.”

Founded in 1988, the Women’s Philanthropy Council is a program of the University of Wisconsin Foundation. The Council pioneered new national standards for women as philanthropists, and it is the first major-gift organization for women at a co-educational institution.