Making Alicia's Acquaintance

 

Special Program Assistant Alicia P. Starkman had the summer of 1998 to get settled into her new job and Atlanta. A recent graduate of University of Pennsylvania, Alicia learned about Emory Women's Center on the internet and lost no time in letting us know of her interest in relocating. The timing was perfect, since Amy E. Hepburn, her predecessor, had just accepted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do an internship at the United Nations in Geneva.

Alicia, who is interested in politics and public policy, previously served as an intern at the National Women's Political Caucus in Washington, D.C., where she was able to combine those interests with her passion for women's issues. About women and politics, she observes: "The political power of women is potentially enormous, but their representation is extremely low, especially at the highest levels. When women run, they win as often as men. It is absolutely essential to identify, recruit, train and support women who wish to enter politics. We can shatter the political glass ceiling and change the terms of the debate over legislation." Alicia also did an internship at The White House.

Alicia was an avid peer educator at Penn. As a member of Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health, she provided workshops and did outreach on campus around sexual health issues. She joined FLASH not only to be better informed about her own healthy decisions, but because she "watched too many of her classmates make risky decisions because of lack of information." As an active member of that peer group, Alicia helped build an undergraduate community that supports safer sex and healthy sexuality.

Here at the Women's Center, Alicia has had plenty of opportunities to put her experience and passions to work. Among her many other responsibilities, she has convened a new Student Advisory Committee on our Advisory Board for planning programs of interest to Emory women students across the campus.

Return to Women's News and Narratives Fall 98

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