Trinity Takes its Daughters to Work

Rittenberg Lounge in Mather Hall was alive with the sights and sounds of parents and daughters as the College hosted its fifth annual “Take Your Daughters to Work” day luncheon on Thursday, April 22. The luncheon featured remarks by Linda Martinez, neighborhood technical coordinator at the Trinfo Café, who brought her daughter, Chelsea, to work with her for the day. They were joined at the luncheon by Linda’s mother, Cecilia Martinez. During her talk, Linda reflected on her own childhood experiences accompanying her mother to her job as a nurse’s aide at St. Mary’s Home in West Hartford.
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The “Take Your Daughters to Work” initiative was organized in the early 1990s by the Ms. Foundation for Women as a way to give young girls additional direct attention and insight into the many work-world opportunities available to them. According to the foundation, its popularity quickly sparked interest from the boys who felt left out and were required to go to school for the day while the girls “got the day off.” As a result, the day has developed into a “take your son or daughter to work” day in many areas.

Trinity, however, has decided to remain true to the initiative’s original intent. Laura Lockwood, director of the Women’s Center, says that the importance of maintaining a special day for girls cannot be overemphasized. “It’s getting better, but women are still greatly underrepresented in high-level positions,” she explains, “particularly in the board room and at the executive level. There is still a very real ‘glass ceiling,’ and women, as a group, are frequently the victims of discrimination. Women need to be able to compete in the work force based on their skills, integrity, and brains—and not judged on their appearance.”

Linda Martinez, who will be graduating from Trinity on May 16 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and educational studies through the Individualized Degree Program, says that bringing Chelsea to campus is about more than having her see where her mother works. “It’s not only about the tradition of the occasion; it’s also about sharing with her the college experience. It’s about the importance of education and setting goals.”

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