Five women were honored on March 26 during the University’s Fourth Annual Red Dress Dinner, the final event held in celebration of Women’s History Month on campus.

Honored with the Women of Vision Award for their dedication to activities that protect the natural environment were Sandra DeYoung, dean of the College of Science and Health; Karen Hilberg, associate director of recreational services; Jessica Pepe, a senior majoring in history and president of the Student Government Association; Lourdes Cortes, senior vice president of North Jersey Federal Credit Union; and Connie Mattison, vice president of Kaizen Productions and producer of “Green by Design TV.”

“These five women are making important contributions to our campus and to the community,” says Librada Sanchez, director of the University's Women's Center. “They deserve our recognition for the many good things they have accomplished and their genuine concern and concrete activism regarding environmental protection and ecological preservation.”

Also honored at the dinner were student winners of the annual Women’s History Month Essay Contest. Recipients were Shireen Meyers, a senior majoring in nursing, first place; Amrisa Niranjan, a senior majoring in English, second place; and Elizabeth Jaeger, a graduate student in history, third place.

The dinner, which also serves as a fundraiser for the American Heart Association, raised nearly $3,000.