Just in time for Women’s History Month, the West Virginia Women’s Commission (WVWC) appointed West Liberty University student Michelle Yadrick as a student ambassador. A junior psychology major from Weirton, W.Va., she is the daughter of Debra and John Yadrick and also a graduate of Weirton Madonna High School.
“Being chosen for the West Virginia Women’s Commission is an honor and I want to thank the entire psychology department and all faculty for recommending me for this position,” Yadrick said. Her appointment was made official by a letter dated March 11, 2017, from Nancy Cline, WVWC Education Committee Chair.
“The commission reviewed Yandrick’s application and letter of recommendation and is pleased to invite Michelle to join our first class of the West Virginia Women’s Commission Student Ambassadors,” said Cline. Assistant Professor Tifani Fletcher was Yadrick’s faculty sponsor.
As part of her work, Yadrick will create a project based on the five tiers of the commission: Child Well-Being, Health, Education, Economic Empowerment, and Violence against Women Prevention. She also was invited to attend today’s Women and Girls Day at the Legislature.
“I think it’s common knowledge that women bear the most responsibility in family care, particularly for children and elders, make up the majority of victims of sex crimes, and generally make less money than men, whether it be because of cultural disinterest in high-paying STEM-type jobs, discrimination or unpaid maternity leave. The WVWC researches issues like these, and I am looking forward to taking part in the research design and completion in the future,” Yadrick stated.
Yadrick has set her professional sites on clinical psychology since she first visited WLU as an accepted student and spoke to interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Dr. Tammy McClain, who herself is a clinical psychologist.
Also coming up soon is an awareness day, Go Green for Equal Pay day. This promotion encourages women and everyone to paint an index fingernail green to educate the public on the fact that it takes women until April 4 of the next year to make what men made the year before.
The West Virginia Women’s Commission was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in the State Capitol Complex. It operates as a commission board under the Department of Health and Human Resources. For more information, visit its Facebook page.
