The Women's Center, as well as the UCSC community, is mourning the loss of Professor Aaronette M. White August 13, 2012. She was a friend to the Center, mentoring students, chairing a field study, and engaging us around issues we hold near and dear: feminism and gender. She not only mentored undergraduates, but graduate students across disciplines, as well as women staff members. In her four years in Santa Cruz, she touched numerous lives.
Here is an excerpt from Dr. Sheldon Kamieniecki, Dean of Social Sciences:
"Her passing is a tremendous loss to her family and friends and all of us at UC Santa Cruz. She was a gifted professor of social psychology who loved teaching and was beloved by her students. She was an exceptional scholar who believed in putting theory into everyday life.
"Professor White was the keynote speaker at the College Ten commencement exercises in June.
"Just last month[July 2012], she agreed to become associate dean in my office to help me maintain and increase the diversity of the faculty, staff, and students in the Social Sciences division. She told me she was excited by the challenge, and she also made it clear to me that being an associate dean was not going to keep her out of the classroom.
"Professor White joined UC Santa Cruz in 2008. She earned her A.B. from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis. Previously, she had affiliations with a variety of institutions around the world including Pennsylvania State University, Harvard University, the Missouri Institute of Mental Health, the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, and the University of Amsterdam.
"She edited the book African Americans Doing Feminism: Putting Theory into Everyday Practice, her second collection of personal stories. Her earlier book, Ain't I a Feminist? African American Men Speak Out on Fatherhood, Friendship, Forgiveness, and Freedom focused on the feminist experiences of black men."
There will be a vigil Wednesday, October 3, 2012, in Quarry Plaza at 7:30pm. We will present more details soon.
