Final Eureka Moment - Gendered Lives

I completed the final reading in our text and then happened to read the "About the Author" section in the beginning of the book. Once I realized that Julia T. Wood was a professor at UNC where my daughter goes to school, I decided to email her last night and she already responded. My Eureka moment this week is a culmination of all of the Eureka moments I had throughout this class and I decided to share that with the author of our text. Thank you Prof M.

Here was the email I sent Julia Wood:
In a message dated 6/23/2009 11:07:28 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, duckett@rider.edu writes:

Dr. Wood,I am continuing studies student at Rider University in New Jersey, and I am taking my last two courses in pursuit of a degree that had alluded me for over 30 years (after a 25 year break). At the tender age of 47, I have had the great fortune to take courses that have stimulated my intellect, peaked my interests, and at times flipped my world upside down. The course that most exemplified this was called Gender and Communications, and on-line class taught by Professor Susan J. McManimon, where your book Gendered Lives was the text book used. I am a father of 3 young women (22, 19, & 18) and you would think I would be one of the world's great feminists looking out for the interests of my daughters. However your book and the format in which it was presented to us not only opened my eyes to old ideas and behaviors, but as I shared with my class, gave me the courage to change my ways and proudly become an activist. Professor McManimon was able to use your book where the class incorporated many ways of discussing the topics using today's technology including Blackboard Discussion Boards, Blogs and even building our own Wiki page for a final research project. It was amazing to see many students in our class transform (both female and male) in regards to the way we had held on to old perceptions and beliefs handed down by our families and reinforced by society. I think you would be impressed if you were able to look at some of these projects. I decided to build my final project on a Historical look at Gendered Advertising after reading Chapter 11 in your book.

The book was so engaging, that I never felt like I was reading a text book, but rather gaining an insight to life, which is probably why I found it so hard to put it down. Reading the epilogue tonight, was a real call to action for me personally. There are moments in one's life that are truly transformative and I wanted to take a moment to thank you for writing this book and sharing your (and your students') experiences, which have changed me forever.

Right before I put down the book (which I will keep and not sell), I decided to read the "About the Author" section and then I was to thrilled to see our connection. My second daughter Elisa is a sophomore at UNC-Chapel Hill with an a major in international business! I hope she has the ability to take a course taught by you - I know I wish I could!

Sincerely,
Mario Duckett

Julia T. Wood responded this morning with:

Dear Mario,

Your email made my day; no, it made my summer! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know that my book was valuable to you. I wish I could have visited your class as it sounds as if Dr. McManimom is a fabulous and creative teacher. I share her enthusiasm for teaching gender and communication--it is my favorite course to teach at Carolina. Perhaps I will have the good fortune to meet your daughter, Elisa, while she is studying on our campus. I certainly hope so.

All the best,

Julia

Julia T. Wood
Lineberger Distinguished Professor
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill NC