by Barbra Alan
Evelyn Stiller. Jon Gilbert Fox photo.
Evelyn Stiller can clearly recall the day she became politically active. It was in the early 1980s, and her home state of Florida was embroiled in an effort to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Walking down the street in downtown Tallahassee, Stiller noticed an ERA office had just opened, and she found herself inspired to join the effort. While she always believed in gender equity, this was the first time she had acted on her convictions. “Being part of that movement was nothing short of transforming, and I have been active in feminist issues ever since,” she said.
One issue that deeply concerns Stiller, both as a woman and as an associate professor of digital media at PSU, is the growing gender gap in computer science. “Women are sorely underrepresented in the industry,” she said, adding that misconceptions about computer science being solitary and unimaginative work may be partially to blame. To help clear up these misconceptions, Stiller is showing her students that computer science is rich with opportunities for creativity, self-expression, and collaboration through courses such as Web Expressions and the Digital Imagination.
Stiller’s involvement with PSU’s Women’s Studies Council is another way she champions women and feminist issues. She joined the council, which is charged with overseeing the Women’s Studies minor curriculum, in 1997—her second year teaching at PSU. The late Sally Boland, a longtime faculty member who helped found the minor, had encouraged the new faculty member to join and encouraged her to lead a women’s studies retreat as well as a Faculty Day session on feminist teaching pedagogies. “She set up these opportunities for me and I really appreciated that,” Stiller recalled.
The Women’s Studies Council also provides its members the opportunity to connect with other feminists across the campus, something that Stiller particularly enjoys. “There’s a lot of mentoring and networking that goes on,” she noted. Further, the council provides members with a forum to discuss women’s issues outside of the PSU curriculum. “If there’s an issue in the news regarding women’s issues, we’ll talk about it.”
Almost as strong as Stiller’s commitment to women’s issues is her commitment to serving her community, and she has found a way to channel both of her passions into her volunteer work for Voices Against Violence. The nonprofit organization serves as a resource for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. For the past eight years Stiller has answered the crisis line, taking calls that range from emergency situations to inquiries for information and resources. “It can be very emotionally draining; some of the situations the callers are dealing with are horrifying,” she said.
For Stiller, who has supported Voices in other ways including setting up the group’s Web site, organizing a fundraiser, and establishing a fund for the women who use its services, there’s no more gratifying way to support women than answering their calls. “Being on the front lines constantly renews my commitment to the organization and strengthens my feminist convictions.”
