UMD News Releases

The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) has announced that Associate Professor of Communication Virginia T. Katz is this year's recipient of the Linda Larson Commission on Women "Woman of the Year Award". This award is given to a woman who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to benefit women at UMD. Following in the legacy of Linda Larson, (the award's first recipient,) winners are those who have made a difference in the lives of women at UMD and in the community.

Dr. Katz has been chosen to receive this award because of her history as a leader at UMD. She was chair of the Department of Communication for nine years, where she was a strong advocate for faculty development. She is known throughout the school as an excellent teacher and was the winner of the 1996 Horace T. Morse-University of Minnesota Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education. She also won the 2001 UMD Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. Professor Katz was a member of the Commission on Women for many years, and was integrally involved in the "Rajender Settlement," (the resolution of a sexual discrimination lawsuit filed by women faculty at the University of Minnesota in 1979). Dr. Katz also served as president of the University Education Association. She was the first woman ever to do so.

Professor Katz will receive her award May 6 at the ninth annual UMD Celebration of Women Luncheon, sponsored by the UMD Commission on Women. The award will be presented by Associate Professor of Communication Deborah Petersen-Perlman, who nominated Dr. Katz for the award.