USC Marshall Hosts Feminist Icon Gloria Steinem
The USC Marshall School of Business’ Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies recently hosted author, activist and American icon Gloria Steinem as part of a talk with Professor David Belasco’s course “Entrepreneurial Mindset: Taking the Leap.”
Belasco, who is an adjunct professor and the executive director of the Lloyd Greif Center, said:
“You might ask why this guest is being hosted by the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies and the Marshall School of Business…We study thought leaders and entrepreneurs and disruptors. Who is a more disruptive and effective social entrepreneur than Gloria Steinem?”
The audience, comprised of Marshall students, faculty, staff and members of the general public, gave Steinem several standing ovations.
Steinem covered a wide range of topics, including her career in journalism, her evolution as a feminist and her theories on gender equality. She discussed the inception of Ms. magazine, noting “’Ms.’ actually came out of a secretarial manual from the ’50s as an abbreviation to use in the disastrous situation when you didn’t know if a woman was married or not.”
Attendees of the talk were invited to ask questions of Steinem after Belasco’s interview. Rini Simpath, president of the USC student body, and Jordan Fowler, vice president, then presented Steinem with a t-shirt bearing the USC logo and the school’s slogan, “Fight On!” Simpath and Fowler are the first female presidential and vice presidential team in the PAC 12 Conference, an athletic conference made up of a dozen leading West Coast schools. “We are here in part because of you …We thank you, because you are truly living a life of service, and you inspire us all,” said Simpath.
About the Author
Maggie Boccella
Maggie Boccella, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, is a freelance writer, artist and photographer. She has consulted on various film and multimedia projects, and she also serves as a juror for the city's annual LGBTQIA Film Festival.
