Women's History Month Celebration March 5 at VBHEC

Old Dominion University will celebrate Women's History Month with a special tribute to former Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, a lecture on women and leadership and an acoustic concert on Thursday, March 5, at the Virginia Beach Higher Education Center.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7 p.m. in the lecture hall room 244 with a tribute to Oberndorf. Jennifer Fish, ODU professor of women's studies, will discuss "Women and Leadership Worldwide," immediately following.

Acclaimed musicians Amy Ferebee and Regina Scott Sanford and Narissa Bond will give acoustic performances from 8:30 - 10:30 p.m. in room 244 of the VBHEC. Concert goers can enjoy complimentary refreshments and a cash bar.

As Virginia Beach's 23rd mayor, Oberndorf was also the city's first female and longest serving mayor, from 1988 to 2008.

During her time in office, Virginia Beach and the city government was recognized for a wide variety of achievements, including USA Weekends 2003 Best Place to Live; one of the five best managed cities in the country in 2000 by Governing Magazine; the number one city for women by Ladies Home Journal in 2002; the number 2 city for families by Child Magazine in 1999; and the 8th most efficiently run large city by the Reason Public Policy Institute in 2001.

Oberndorf was recognized by Newsweek magazine as one of the 25 Most Dynamic Mayors in the U.S. She was named Outstanding Woman of Virginia by the American Legion Auxiliary and the 1997 Newsmaker of the Year by Virginia Press Women. She was awarded the Women's Achievement Award by the Zonta Club of Hampton Roads in 2002.

An alumnae of Old Dominion University, Oberndorf received an honorary doctorate of law from the university in 1999.

For more information about the March 5 event, call the VBHEC at 368-4100.