Distinguished Professor Emerita Mary Jo Bona, who joined Stony Brook University in 1999 to advance Italian American Studies, has played a significant role in the development of the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS). Her efforts over a 25-year career transformed a single course into a comprehensive department offering undergraduate and graduate programs.
In an effort to sustain the progress of WGSS following her retirement, Bona and her spouse, Judith Pfenninger, have established the Bona Distinguished Lectureship within the department. "We thought about ways we could support the department in the future after I retired," Bona explained. "Our hope is that this lecture series highlights the department in a way that senior scholars elsewhere will take an interest in the university."
The lectureship fund was inspired by initiatives like the New York State Endowment Match program and Simons Infinity Investment Match Challenge. It aims to enhance the department's visibility by supporting an annual public lecture at Stony Brook featuring a distinguished speaker with expertise relevant to WGSS's interdisciplinary focus.
Reflecting on her contributions to education, Bona stated, “I’ve spent my life in school, and I wanted to leave something to the institution of education where I spent so much time supporting, believing in and interconnecting with.”
The full story can be read by Christine McGrath in SB Matters.