Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois bringing STEM opportunities to girls

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois robotics program has had great success so far this year.

During recent FIRST LEGO League (FLL) tournaments for 9-14 year olds, four of ten competing teams won awards and one squad qualified for the state tournament. A team of older girls in the FIRST TECH Challenge (FTC) league starts competition in January and has been busy giving demonstrations of their robot design and programming skills – including marching with their scene-stealing “candy cannon” in several holiday parades. GSSI is also gearing up to host a Jr FIRST LEGO League Expo (a science fair style robotics event for students age 6-9) for the southern Illinois region. GSSI’s “robot revolution” is indicative of the Girl Scout movement’s ongoing commitment to bringing girls relevant, exciting opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Read more.

Court to Hear Whether Women Should Register for Draft

Whether Thursday's historic decision to allow women in all combat roles may require them to register for the draft faces its first test next week when a federal lawsuit challenging the male-only registration gets its day in court.

The case, National Coalition for Men vs. the Selective Service System, will be considered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in Pasadena, Calif., on Tuesday.

The court date coincidentally occurs just days after Secretary of Defense Ash Carter opened all military combat roles to women, a decision he said may affect whether women are required to register for the draft.

"It may do that," Carter said. "That is a matter of legal dispute right now, and in fact litigation."But Carter said the outcome of the court case won't affect the Pentagon's decision to move forward. Read the story in its entirety on Military.com.

Big news from the Pentagon: All military jobs will be opened to women who qualify for them

All military jobs will be opened to women who can qualify for them. No quotas. Based purely on the ability to do the job. Here is an expert from a speech by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter on December 3 about women in the U.S. military service:

"This means that as long as they qualify and meet the standards, women will now be able to contribute to our mission in ways they could not before. They’ll be allowed to drive tanks, fire mortars, and lead infantry soldiers into combat. They’ll be able to serve as Army Rangers and Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Marine Corps infantry, Air Force parajumpers, and everything else that previously was open only to men. And even more importantly, our military will be better able to harness the skills and perspectives that talented women have to offer. 

‘No exceptions’ was the recommendation of the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the Secretary of the Navy, as well as the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. While the Marine Corps asked for a partial exception in some areas such as infantry, machine gunner, fire support, reconnaissance, and others, we are a joint force, and I have decided to make a decision which applies to the entire force."

Read the speech in its entirety.

The Illinois Fortune 1000 companies with the most and least gender diverse corporate boards

In 2011, women held 14.6 percent of corporate board seats across all Fortune 1000 companies. To improve that figure, two women founders launched 2020 Women on Boards, a national campaign to increase the percentage of board seats held by women to 20% or greater by 2020.

Today, the non-profit released its annual Gender Diversity Index, revealing how far corporations have come to hitting the goal and how much further they have to go. According to the index, women now sit on 18.8 percent of board seats, up from 17.7 percent the previous year.

The rankings categorize every company by four designations - (W)inning, companies that have 20 percent or greater women on their board, (V)ery Close, companies with 11-19 percent, (T)oken, companies with one woman, and (Z)ero, companies with no women on their board. Read the rest of the story on ChicagoInno.

See the complete list of all "Winning" companies.

Four Supreme Court Justices Featured in Grand-Scale Painting at the National Portrait Gallery

The Four Justices by Nelson Shanks;  2012;
Ian and Annette Cumming Collection, on loan
to the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery will display a loaned portrait of the first female Supreme Court Justices, Sandra Day O’Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, beginning Oct. 28. The 9-foot-6-inch by 7-foot-9-inch oil painting by the artist Nelson Shanks features the four women in an interior based on the Supreme Court Building; it will be displayed in the museum for three years.

This portrait recognizes the achievements of these four women—the first to serve on the nation’s highest court.

“The scale of this painting speaks to the grand accomplishments made by these four women and the example they set for future generations,” said Kim Sajet, director of the museum. “I imagine this portrait will spark a conversation among young people, particularly young women, about breaking barriers.” Read more from the news desk of Smithsonian.

Working moms have more successful daughters and more caring sons, Harvard Business School study says

The guilt many working mothers confess to may be real, but it’s looking less and less warranted.

According to a working paper (pdf) published June 19 by the Harvard Business School, daughters of working mothers are more likely to be employed, hold supervisory positions, and earn more money than the daughters of women who don’t work outside the home. The researchers also found a statistically significant effect on the sons of working women, who are likely to spend more time caring for family members and doing household chores than are the sons of stay-at-home mothers.

Analyzing data from two dozen countries, the researchers concluded that the daughters of employed mothers are 4.5% more likely to be employed themselves than are the daughters of stay-at-home mothers. While this number may seem small, it is statistically significant at the 99% level, meaning there is less than a 1% chance that such a result is due to chance.

Even more surprising, says Kathleen McGinn, a professor at Harvard Business School and the lead author of the study, is the effect that working mothers have on their daughters’ chances of being a supervisor at work. “We did expect that it would effect employment but we didn’t expect that it would effect supervisory responsibility,” she tells Quartz. Read the story on Quartz.

Jennifer Lawrence Highlights Wage Inequality

Photo by Gage Skidmore, Creative Commons Attribution-
Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

"All I hear and see all day are men speaking their opinions, and I give mine in the same exact manner, and you would've thought I had said something offensive," says 'Hunger Games' star in Lena Dunham's 'Lenny Letter'

Jennifer Lawrence opened up about feminism and wage inequality in an essay featured in Lena Dunham's "Lenny Letter" newsletter titled "Why Do I Make Less Than My Male Co-Stars?" The Hunger Games star wrote that she was candid about her initial reticence when the feminism conversation seemed to be "trending" and because she didn't think her experiences were relatable, but she's speaking out about wage inequality and unfair perceptions. Read the story in Rolling Stone.

Amy Guth takes aim at online harassment of women

Celebrated Chicago journalist Amy Guth knows what it’s like to be the target of vicious and terrifying harassment by online trolls — and to be advised by well-meaning friends to pretend it didn’t happen.

She’s not pretending anymore.

On Wednesday Guth launched a Kickstarter campaign to secure funds for production of an ambitious documentary series about “harassment and civility in the online world and how it relates to women.”

The untitled series, which will be released in episode form over two seasons or more, will explore women’s stories in the digital world and delve into the complex and widespread problem of invisible predators on social media. As host and producer, Guth already has begun lining up interviews around the country. Read more by Robert Feder.

Illinois teens selected for national women's mentoring program

Two Illinois teens are making a difference in people’s lives, thanks to inspiration and financial support from a national mentoring program.

Jaiden Fallo, of Chicago, and Ava Polzin, of Libertyville, are among 50 people nationwide selected from 2,476 who applied for this year’s ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative. The initiative aims to seek out the next generation of female leaders.

Fallo, 17, is trying to shrink the gender gap in computer science. Polzin, 18, is helping Native American girls learn about music. Read more in the Chicago SunTimes.

Glenbard East's Rebecca Deluca-Lane scores an IHSA first

Like other Glenbard East football parents, Colleen Lane was milling around in the tent behind the north end zone last Friday when there occurred something relatively ordinary yet totally unique.

The Rams completed a pass deep in East Aurora territory that was fumbled. The football bounced off an East Aurora player and was recovered in the end zone by another Ram for a Glenbard East touchdown.

That will happen. The player who scored is what made it special.

"When I heard the referee yell, ‘Let go of her!' I'm like, ‘I know that her. That's my kid,'" Lane said.

Her?

Yes. Her.

Senior Rebecca Deluca-Lane recovered that fumble in the end zone to record a touchdown. According to an unofficial state media survey conducted by Illinois High School Association assistant executive director Matt Troha, who also asked around the IHSA offices in Bloomington, it's the first known touchdown scored by a female varsity high school football player in Illinois. Read the story in the Daily Herald.

#GirlPolitics: Meet Political Activist Rebecca Sive

Rebecca Sive is Academic Director of the Women in Public Leadership Executive Education Program, Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, where she has taught classes on women in politics. She was among Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson's inaugural appointees to the Illinois Human Rights Commission, on which she served for eight years. She is a contributor to The Huffington Post and a speaker on women and politics. She is the author of "Every Day Is Election Day: A Woman's Guide to Winning Any Office from the PTA to the White House."

How and why did you become a political activist?

I was born in New York City and my parents were very political, but I went to college at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. Do you remember Paul Wellstone [progressive Minnesota Senator from 1991 until his death in 2002]? He was my college advisor. That was an era when there was lots of campus political activity. The women's movement was getting going. One of the things Paul organized, along with colleagues at other schools, was an urban studies program in Chicago for people interested in urban affairs, political science and sociology. I came to Chicago for that program and fell in love with the city. The politics were endlessly fascinating.

 Read the entire interview in the Huffington Post.

Women Firsts in Illinois Government

In 1922, just two years after women were given the right to vote, Lottie Holman O'Neill was the first woman elected to the Illinois State legislature.  She continued to serve in the Illinois House and Senate for 40 years.

Two years later, in 1924, Florence Fifer Bohrer, daughter of Governor Fifer, was the first woman elected to the Illinois Senate.

Naperville woman launches book project to help young girls

Cindy Harris of Naperville has raised three daughters, worked with young girls over the years and has seen how peer pressure can be a problem while growing up.

An aspiring writer, Harris developed Rising Empress, a package of posters, stickers and related products with a book that provides inspirational role models. It is for girls ranging in age from 3 to 12 and promotes creative and interactive play with trading cards featuring fictional empresses and their talents.

Rising Empress was recently launched in Salt Lake City, Utah, and also was introduced recently at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville.

"I saw a need for creating more empowering products for girls in the market place," said Harris, 47. Read more in the Daily Herald.

Study: Illinois is 'powerhouse' for producing female founders

Illinois boasts three of the universities that produce the most female entrepreneurs.

Northwestern University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Chicago are among the top 25, according to a report by CrunchBase on female founders.

Northwestern is tied for 12th, the University of Illinois is No. 18 and the University of Chicago is tied for 21st in the report. Analysts studied more than 3,600 female founders whose companies had raised money since 2009, CrunchBase said.

“Illinois is the powerhouse” of the Midwest, CrunchBase analysts wrote in a blog post announcing the results.

Ilesanmi Adesida, a provost at U. of I., said the university is proud of its graduates' accomplishments. "But it is even more exciting to us to see the impact these women are having in their industries and in their communities," he said in an email. Read more in the Chicago Tribune.

Illinois businesswoman's hard work and determination has positive results for the family farm

Sarah Frey-Talley, chief executive officer of Frey Farms LLC, headquartered in Keenes, IL, founded the company 20 years ago — when she was 16. Today it farms approximately 12,000 acres in numerous locations, in addition to sourcing from growing partners.

“Growing up, we had a small, 100-acre family farm,” Ms. Frey-Talley explained. “My mom had a small route of about 12 grocery stores that she delivered melons to in the summer. When I was 16 I bought my own truck and took over her route. Mom went to work for a radio station, and my four older brothers went off to college.”

Her brothers, she noted, knew that the family farm was too small to provide them with a living, so their intentions were to go into other careers.

Once she had taken over the melon route, Ms. Frey-Talley began marketing to more stores. Ultimately she had 150 stores on her route, forcing her to source melons from other farms in Illinois and Indiana to fill her customers’ needs. Produce News has the story.

Read more about Sarah Frey-Talley and her business.
Sarah Frey-Talley, Founder of Tsamma
Can watermelon squeeze into the juicing craze?

Chicago tops tech cities in women-led startups

Chicago still has catching up to do when it comes to its startup scene, but there's one place where the city leads the pack:

It has the highest percentage of women-led startups among 35 cities worldwide what were studied by San Francisco-based Compass, a provider of benchmarking software.

The report says Chicago, with 30 percent female founders, has the greatest percentage of women entrepreneurs out of the top 20 startup ecosystems. The data is based on surveys of 11,000 respondents from startups, as well as investors and others. The figure is similar to one cited by Chicago-based startup hub 1871.

Crains Chicago Business has the story.

Chicago parks have zero statues of women, 48 statues of men

Plenty of men are memorialized in stone and bronze in Chicago’s parks: Explorer Leif Ericson, president George Washington, former Illinois governor John Peter Altgeld, even Greene Vardiman Black. Not familiar with him? He’s the "father of modern dentistry." Chicago’s public spaces do have statues of female figures — nymphs, goddesses, and Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz to name a few — but you won’t find a single statue or bust of a historically significant woman in any of the city’s 580 parks.

“It’s really time to honor more females,” said Asya Akca, a University of Chicago political science major who is pushing for a statue of a notable woman on her campus in Hyde Park. “It’s a huge oversight that they’re not being honored.”

According to the Chicago Park District, there are no statues of women in our city’s parks because the heyday of public figurative sculpture in the United States took place at a time before women had earned the right to vote.

To rectify that lack of representation, the district has named and renamed more than 40 parks to honor the legacies of notable women over the last 11 years. There are now 66 parks named after women in Chicago, according to the park district. Yet, during that same period, figurative statues and busts of men have continued to be erected around the city.

In 2004, a tribute featuring several figurative bas-relief sculptures of George Halas, founder of the Chicago Bears, went up near Gate 15 of Soldier Field in Burnham Park. That same year, Martin Luther King Park on West 76th Street in Auburn Gresham got a bust of the civil rights leader. WBEZ has the story.

Southern Illinois women face their flaws and 'Feel Beautiful'

Being a woman in the Western world means that our beauty — or lack thereof — is valued above just about everything else. Especially because most of us don't fit into the narrow parameters that define that beauty.

Jenn Fortune, a photographer based in Marion, and the 20 Southern Illinois women who modeled for her "Feel Beautiful, Know Your Beauty" photography project, are hoping to spread body positivity and acceptance in all shapes, sizes, ages and races.

Fortune hosted an exhibit opening at her studio in the Star Centre Mall this past Thursday, where she displayed her 1950s-inspired pin-up photos. Read Alee Quick's story in the Southern Illinoian.

Girls With Toys

by Kate Clancy for Slate

By high school many girls drop science classes despite outperforming the boys who stay.

On Saturday morning, I turned on NPR while I made breakfast for my daughter and me. We had a big day ahead: first the farmers market, then a nearby forest preserve’s migratory bird festival featuring a mist-netting demonstration and the chance to take home and dissect your own owl pellet.

I listened to Scott Simon introduce a piece in a series called Joe’s Big Idea, which is intended to explore “how ideas become innovations and inventions.” The piece was about a scientist, and I’m a scientist, so of course my ears perked up as Joe Palca interviewed Caltech astrophysicist Shrinivas Kulkarni. It started on a great note: Palca asked Kulkarni what is beyond the universe, and they had a conversation on abstract versus practical questions in astronomy. Then, Kulkarni made a statement that is getting a lot of attention.
Kulkarni: “Many scientists are I think, secretly, are what I call ‘boys with toys.’" Slate has the story and twitter photos of women scientists with their toys.

'Think manager, think man' stops us seeing woman as leaders

Think about the best leader you’ve ever worked with. The person is likely to be inspiring; someone whose vision for the future motivated and drove you to success. Now consider: is this leader a man or a woman?

If you are like most people, the person you have brought to mind is male. This well-known psychological phenomenon is known as “think manager, think man”. It occurs because the traits we typically associate with leaders – forceful, dominant, strong, competent or even heroic – are stereotypically associated with men.

By contrast, there are fewer qualities stereotypically associated with women that we also associate with leadership, such as being a good communicator. I would go so far as to say that some of the qualities we see as being highly characteristic of women are incompatible with leadership. Read the entire story in the Guardian.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman

 Mitch Ingold bravely stood before 85 women and delivered potentially disappointing news.

It was a warm, breezy Saturday in the woods — perfect weather for camp. But Ingold had to tell the women, who had come to this north central Illinois site to learn as much as they could about the outdoors, that approaching storms might impact Sunday's activities.

"But what about archery?" a woman called out.

"Beekeeping?" asked another.

"Power tools?"

The women were participants in Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, a weekend-long workshop coordinated by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources each June and September.

The most recent event was held over three days on the Lorado Taft Field Campus of Northern Illinois University, adjacent to Lowden State Park. Twenty-four classes were offered on a variety of outdoor-related topics, each lasting 3 1/2 hours. Along with lessons about firearms and fishing, topics included everything from horse grooming and dutch oven cooking to picnic table yoga and, yes, power tools.

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman workshops are offered in 39 states and six Canadian provinces. Illinois has hosted them since 1995, but Ingold, field education coordinator for the IDNR, said they have never been so popular.

"Six years ago, 40 or 50 would sign up and it would take three months for registration to fill," Ingold said. "The last three years all workshops have been full, registration closed within six weeks, and this time we had a waiting list.

"You can always tell how good your program is by the number of returning participants," he said. "Ninety percent of our new participants come a second, third or 10th time."

The camp has become increasingly popular as more women get involved in outdoor sports, and as more women live independently, according to Ingold. Read the story in the Chicago Tribune.

Find out more:
Illinois Becoming an Outdoors Woman Workshop

Navy to double maternity leave, make fitness changes

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus is set to unveil a host of far-reaching initiatives and policy changes aimed at improving quality of life and careers for sailors and Marines, a senior Navy official confirmed to Navy Times.

Mabus, in a speech to the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland on Wednesday, will announce plans to ease body fat restrictions, boost career flexibility, and push to recruit more women in the Navy and Marine Corps, while opening up the last jobs that remain closed to them.

Some of the initiatives aimed at retaining women include doubling paid maternity leave to 12 weeks, longer child-care hours, an updated co-location policy for dual military couples and opportunities like the career intermission program, which allows sailors to take time off to pursue educational or other personal goals. Read more.

Changing the face of the technology workforce

While the number of women taking on STEM fields is
growing, technology jobs are still male-dominated.

“Studies show that if you ask a female student how she did on a test—without knowing the score—she will say, ‘Oh I did pretty bad,’” said Gokhale. “But if you ask a male student, he would say, ‘Oh I did fine.’ 

The number of technology jobs across the globe is skyrocketing. Studies estimate computing jobs will more than double by 2020, reaching into the millions. Yet underrepresented groups are not finding the paths to jump into the technology boom. Professor of Technology Anu Gokhale is part of an initiative to change that.

Gokhale and Professor Emeritus Kent Machina are helping to spearhead a program to give more high school teachers the credentials to teach computer science. Known as Teacher Education in Computer Science (TECS), the National Science Foundation-funded initiative is already being cultivated in the Chicago Public School system.

“More and more, computer science is being accepted to fulfill math or science credits in high schools,” said Gokhale. “Having a math, science, or technology teacher who could also teach computer science will not only benefit the districts, it will open the doors to more students who might not have considered computing as a future career path.” Read more.

More women pursuing lead on Illinois family farms

More than 20 years ago, Laura Sellmyer’s dad and uncle expected one of her two brothers would be the next generation farmer.

But, it didn’t turn out that way. Laura took over her family’s Livingston County farm — 1,500 acres of corn and soybeans.

As a student at Illinois State University in Normal, she started taking agriculture classes and ended up with an ag business degree. She knew she wanted to farm.

“It was a big challenge. I came in not knowing if I would be able,” she recalls.

Her father worked for the FSA and had farmed with her uncle Bill. Her two brothers had been helping with the farm since they were kids, but she had not.

“My dad and uncle had no concept of a woman farming,” she says of when she first approached them after college for a job. But, she proved herself. Read more in Illinois Farmer Today.

Women campaign to help female veterans find resources

There are 54,707 female veterans in Illinois according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Former Army Pvt. First Class Jessica Lynch, the first successfully rescued POW since World War II, entered the sun-filled Veterans Resource Center in Gary wearing a friendly smile and olive green sweat pants that reveal the brace she wears on her lower leg.

As special guest for the "Celebration of Life" dinner and program to honor area veterans Monday night at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster, Lynch, along with the keynote speaker Dr. Irene Trowell-Harris, hope to bring more attention to the plight of female veterans.

Trowell-Harris, a retired major general with 38 years in the U.S. Air Force, was the first African-American woman to be promoted to general in the National Guard. She is also the former director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Women Veterans. Read the Chicago Tribune story.

Video game camp teaches young girls coding

When 11-year-old Vani Subramony grows up, she wants to be an engineer or video game designer.

The Sycamore Middle School student was one of 11 girls who attended Northern Illinois University’s Girls Video Game Camp, a five-day crash course on what goes into making video games.

“I knew a lot about video games, but not how to make them,” Subramony said.

The girl-specific camp has been running for about five years and is intended to empower young girls interested in science, technology, engineering and math fields, camp leader Suzanne Jackiw said.

By Friday, each of the girls had designed, programmed and written the coding for their own three-dimensional virtual world and game using a coding program called Game-Maker: Studio. Now, nearly all of the girls want to pursue a career in technology, camp leader Rebecca Griffith said. Read the story in the daily chronicle.

Women-owned businesses have grown 74 percent over last two decades

More and more women own their own businesses in Indiana and Illinois, but growth in female-owned firms is much slower in the Hoosier state.

A study by American Express OPEN using U.S. Census data found the number of women-owned businesses has skyrocketed nationally by 74 percent since 1997. Illinois ranks 19th nationally with 68 percent growth in the number of female business owners over the last 18 years, while Indiana placed 45th nationwide with 37.7 percent growth.

Women-owned businesses however are more profitable in Indiana where their revenue has grown 93 percent between 1997 and 2015. Over the same period, profits for women-owned businesses grew only 33.7 percent in Illinois, placing it 48th nationally. Read more in the Northwest Herald.

How Melissa McCarthy Plans to Change the Way Clothing Is Sold

Melissa McCarthy wants to change the way clothing is sold.

That might seem like an odd goal for the movie star and comedienne, who's starring in the new comedy Spy. But McCarthy comes from a fashion design background: She studied clothing and textiles at Southern Illinois University, then moved to New York City to study at Fashion Institute of Technology. Then a classmate suggested McCarthy perform at an open mic night, and that was that.

Then, preparing for the 2012 Oscar ceremony, McCarthy was unable to find a designer willing to make her a dress worthy of the red carpet. Designing her own line suddenly seemed a bit more urgent. After about four years of development, Melissa McCarthy Seven7 is due to launch at the end of the summer, when it will be available online and in stores including Macy's, Lane Bryant, and Nordstrom. McCarthy will start by introducing sportswear ranging from $54 to $159.

Unlike most mainstream designers, McCarthy is going to be releasing clothes in sizes 4 to 28. Her goal is to get stores to sell all of them in the same location, rather than sending some customers to the plus-size department or online to find the same clothes that their friends are buying in the main section of the store. Inc has the story.

State Takes Action Against "Miracle Treatment" For Children

The Illinois Attorney General’s office has obtained a signed agreement from a proponent for a controversial autism "cure," promising not to promote her treatment in Illinois.

Last month, NBC 5 Investigates reported on the controversial treatment promoted by former Chicagoan Kerri Rivera. Rivera, who now resides in Mexico, advocates a protocol involving a strict diet and a chemical called chlorine dioxide, sometimes marketed as "Miracle Mineral Solution," or MMS. Chemists say chlorine dioxide is, in reality, a powerful bleach with no known medicinal benefits.

"I would say it would be extremely dangerous to ingest this," said Dr. Karl Scheidt, a chemistry professor at Northwestern University. "Much less a child."

But chlorine dioxide, or "CD" as she calls it, has long been the cornerstone of Rivera’s treatment.

"Autism is treatable," she said in an interview with NBC5 Investigates. "It’s avoidable. And I believe it’s curable." NBC5 has the story.

Report: Illinois insurers lack clear information for women

Most insurance plans offered in Illinois on the health overhaul law’s new marketplace meet the law’s requirements for women’s health, according to a report released Wednesday.

But user-friendly information was lacking, consumer materials were outdated and barriers such as log-in requirements made it impossible to compare birth-control options while shopping among competing health plans.

Information about abortion coverage “was exceptionally difficult” to find, the report noted, with some call center representatives seemingly guessing at what was covered or “whispering or giggling nervously” while providing information.

The report calls for insurance companies to do a better job explaining to women what they cover. Some insurers promised more training for call center workers in response to the findings.

“We found contraceptive coverage is pretty strong in Illinois,” said report co-author Kathy Waligora. “But when we looked at how easy it is to find out what’s actually covered, that was not as positive.”

Read more in the Washington Times.

The 20 most powerful women in Chicago business 2014

From Crain's Chicago Business:

Yes, corporate America still has a woman problem. And Chicago isn't exactly a capital of progress on this front: Of the area's 100 largest public companies, only seven are helmed by women. Now for some good news. We've recently witnessed a string of high-profile promotions of female executives, and more local female business leaders are being named to major corporate boards outside of the city. This movement prompted Crain's to assemble this first-ever ranking. The list below is strictly business: No politicians, or philanthropists, or cultural leaders appear here. Editors considered four criteria: size and importance of a company; title and performance; career trajectory; and an individual's sphere of influence.

Illinois State chosen to help boost women in economics

Illinois State University has been chosen to take part in a national initiative to boost the number of women in economics majors across the country.

Known as the Undergraduate Women in Economics Challenge (UWE), the three-year project will implement strategies for women in introductory economics courses designed to encourage them to stay in the major.

Spearheaded by Harvard University and funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the program is administered by the National Bureau of Economic Research.

“The hope is to see a marked difference in the proportion of women who enter the major, a difference in GPA, a reduction in time to complete the major, or other markers of success,” said Illinois State’s Department of Economics Chair David Cleeton.

One of 20 schools chosen—alongside Yale, Princeton, and Brown universities—Illinois State will begin “interventions” in several sections of the Principles of Economics course this fall. Read more of the story by Rachel Hatch.

Women in Leadership: Sarah Hochman

As part of msnbc’s “Women in Politics” series, Bloomingdale, IL native, Sarah Hochman was nominated to represent the University of Illinois as a leader making a difference not only through key issues on campus, but in bridging the gender gap in politics.

Sarah is studying Agricultural Economics and Policy and her dream job would be U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. She is currently Vice President-Internal for the Illinois Student Senate.

Here are her answers to MSNBC's questions:

What is your biggest challenge as a leader on campus?
Championing the female voice without alienating the men on campus.

Which female leaders do you draw inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from many female leaders, but my mother has inspired me since day one. She has worked tirelessly to build a successful career, but she has always remained involved in my life as well.  She was my Girl Scout troupe leader for seven years, the elementary headroom mom for 10 years, listened to every band concert I played in, volunteered with our marching band, and supported us through it all.  Even when she became a single mother, she ensured everything was the same for my brother and me. She is the woman who inspires me every day to be the best person I can be.

Read the rest of  Sarah Hochman's interview.

Read about Sarah's efforts on campus.

Tell us which women leaders most inspire you.

Who's your pick for the face on the new $10 bill? Only catch, it must be a woman

US Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew announced last week that paper currency will for the first time feature a woman and he is seeking public input on which woman should be represented on the newly designed $10 bill.

The focus of the Treasury Secretary selection will be a notable woman who championed for our inclusive democracy.  In keeping with that theme, the U.S. Department of the Treasury is asking the American people to share ideas, symbols, and designs for the new $10 note that reflect what democracy means to them. You can share your ideas using the hashtag #TheNew10 or by visiting thenew10.treasury.gov.

Influencing Illinois

There's a lot that goes on in government that affects our families' daily lives. Elected officials make decisions that impact the quality of our children's education and the quality of care for our aging parents. They influence the programs for our military veterans, senior citizen and persons with disabilities. They play an important role in providing for health care and jobs in our communities and for keeping our families safe.

As women, these are all things we care deeply about. It is often women who make the primary decisions for their families about education, childcare and health care. We agonize over whether our aging parents can live at home with help or reside in an assisted living center and question if they’d be better served in a nursing home. We want the best for our children and our families no matter their needs. We demand safe communities and we crave a strong economy with good paying jobs.

It seems elected officials should be listening a little more to the women of this state.

This blog is about women, our families and the way we influence elected and government officials in the state of Illinois. It is a resource for information and a space to offer your perspective.

Let me know what you think of the concept, of the posts and what else you’d like to know.