Otterbein University Explores ‘Women and the New American Dream’
•On March 9th and 10th, Otterbein held the first of a national series of conversations about opportunity and the American Dream. Following the launch of Opportunity Nation last November, we wanted to reach communities across the country and continue the dialogue about opportunity. America’s higher education institutions are natural partners; they are deeply rooted in communities, natural sites for intergenerational conversations and are critical rungs on the ladder for greater opportunity for Americans. (Though, as Thomas Edsall wrote in yesterday’s New York Times, post-secondary education today might be replicating patterns of privilege rather than opening the gates to the brightest young Americans. That makes the conversations more important than ever.)
The Opportunity Nation Higher Education Council was created to highlight local and regional challenges and solutions related to economic opportunity. Each event has a different focus, and Otterbein focused on gender and the American Dream.
There is a mixed story for women’s economic mobility. As Pew notes in their report, there is greater absolute mobility, meaning that most women’s income is higher than their mothers’, which is no surprise after decades of societal changes and labor market shifts. However relative mobility is particularly low for girls born to parents in the lowest fifth of the income distribution, nearly half will stay in that quintile as adults. Single female headed households are also much more likely to be poor than single-males headed households or those with two parents.
Over the course of a day and a half, we had great conversation on rebuilding the ladder to the American Dream for women and girls. It included dynamic leaders like former Heifer International President Jo Luck, Leadership Council member and author Shirley Sagawa and interactive elements like the Oxfam Hunger Banquet. Ohio Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) shared their support of the event via video.
Hannah Bisig, a student at Otterbein and one of the Opportunity Scholars involved in the event, described the inspiration she drew from the summit: “The summit was wonderful…I had the opportunity to meet with men and women with different professions and think through ideas in how to fight economic and gender inequality.” Bisig also got the chance to lead a workshop with fellow Opportunity Scholar Casey Buckler and engage with other students: “It was inspiring to see younger girls getting involved in the topic…so they can better understand themselves and therefore be better at communicating and initiating action.”
Hannah Bisig, a student at Otterbein and one of the Opportunity Scholars involved in the event, described the inspiration she drew from the summit: “The summit was wonderful…I had the opportunity to meet with men and women with different professions and think through ideas in how to fight economic and gender inequality.” Bisig also got the chance to lead a workshop with fellow Opportunity Scholar Casey Buckler and engage with other students: “It was inspiring to see younger girls getting involved in the topic…so they can better understand themselves and therefore be better at communicating and initiating action.”
