Yvette Efevbera, an International Relations senior at MSU, was presented with the first ever Mary Anderson best undergraduate paper on women and gender in global perspective award from Michigan State Universitys Center for Gender in Global Context at the departments annual open house held January 30th, 2009.

Her paper, Whats Happening to Ugandas Girls? The effects of war on youth culture in northern Uganda, was selected from a competitive pool of entries because it is a well-conceived, beautifully written, soundly researched paper that is both poignant and hopeful, said Lisa Fine, co-director of the Center for Gender in Global Context.

The paper award was renamed this year to honor Mary Anderson, a former womens-rights activist and scholar in Womens Studies, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 1993. Andersons former colleagues, friends and husband, David Anderson, were on hand for the award presentation and ceremony.

Mary would be very pleased with the evolution of MSUs Gender Studies programs and the efforts to encourage undergraduates to write, and then recognize their work. said David Anderson.

The Mary Anderson award's purpose is to stimulate research in gender studies, and to recognize outstanding work by a young scholar in the field. The award includes a certificate, a check for $200 and consideration for future Center publications.

In a recent letter to the Center, Andersons parents, Margaret and Joseph Castiglie of New York City, wrote, To know that our daughter is being memorialized in such a lovely manner is indeed gratifying to us. This program meant so much to her and we are proud that her memory will be used to inspire others.

Mary Andersons contribution to Womens Studies includes Doing Feminism: Teaching and Research in the Academy, a book of articles assembled and edited by Mary Anderson, Lisa Fine, et. al., available from the MSU Press at www.msupress.msu.edu/bookTemplate.php?bookID=209.