Shippensburg University’s Pride and Gender Equity (PAGE) Center announced the recipients of the Gero Awards at its International Women’s Day event on March 4 in the CUB MPR.

According to the PAGE Center, the Gero Awards are “honoring those at SU who have made a remarkable contribution to the status and climate of women on campus.” Each recipient received a certificate in honor of their achievement.

Samantha Lerario, a senior communication, journalism and media student, won the undergraduate category. While playing for the women’s soccer team, she serves as the president of Tau Kappa, a women’s athletic honor sorority. The sorority carries out various community service events such as Project Prom Dress, which provides dresses and other accessories to high school students to reduce financial barriers.

Denise Rodriguez, a graduate student in the criminal justice program, won the graduate category. She provides education on emergency contraception and has done research on successful student-led networks around campus.

Jayleen Galarza Patterson, a professor in the social work and gerontology department, won the faculty category. They openly educate and advocate for women’s reproductive rights. They are an active source of inspiration to social work students and others across the campus community.

Cindy Dixon, secretary of the Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA), won the staff category. She helps women find their voice and a sense of belonging on campus while away from home. She actively works behind-the-scenes for many MSA organizations, including the Latino Student Organization (LSO), the African American Organization (Afro-Am), the Asian American and Pacific Islander Organization (AAPIO), and more.

A new addition this year to the lineup of the Gero awards was the Women’s and Gender Studies Spotlight.

This was awarded to Laurie Cella, a professor in the English department. She has brought students to numerous conferences and was instrumental in the publication of queer undergraduate work in the spring 2025 semester.

Along with the announcement of the Gero Award winners, the event also offered dance lessons, student organization vendors and special remarks celebrating the societal impacts and achievements of women, which is a call to action for equality.

Cristina Rhodes, associate professor of the English department and interim director of the women’s and gender studies program, was one of the co-planners for the event.

“We are so excited to host the Gero Awards this year, especially because Anne Gero, whom the award is named after, recently passed away,” Rhodes said. “This award is given to people across campus who have done outstanding work to support equity for women and other marginalized communities here at Shippensburg.”

The event was presented by the Center for Global Education and co-sponsored by Women’s and Gender Studies, the PAGE center, the Office of Inclusion, Belonging and Social Equity and the Commission on Human Understanding.

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