By Cara Miller

Arizona Daily Wildcat

rom life inside a giant swamp cooler to life inside McKale Center, young women will

have a chance to see a different side to mom and dad today as part of Daughters on Campus Day.

Thousands of girls nationwide will take part in the day, sponsored by the Ms. Foundation for Women to Take Our Daughters to Work. The event is designed to focus on girls' ideas, problems, spirit and dreams, states a release from the foundation.

"It is important for young girls to have a sense of how women can hold a wide variety of roles and be successful in all of them," said Connie Gajewski, coordinator of the University of Arizona Commission on the Status of Women and the Diversity Action Council. Gajewski is coordinating the event at the UA.

One young woman will have a chance to see behind closed doors at the life of a university president.

Adrianna Dee, 15, will be escorted by UA President Manuel T. Pacheco to some of the various planned activities including a campuswide tour.

Dee, the daughter of two UA employees Ä Jeffrey and Rebecca Dee Ä was selected by the Diversity Action Council to be Pacheco's adopted daughter for the day.

"I hope she will take away with her an appreciation for the world of work and an understanding of how many women hold positions at the university that allow us to accomplish our work. And finally that at some time in her life she will consider coming to work for the university herself," Pacheco said in a prepared statement.

Pat MacCorquodale, director of the Honors Center and sociology professor, said the program is important in reinforcing self-confidence in young women.

"There are real live women that work and have families and social lives and don't walk around looking like nerds with calculators on their belts," MacCorquodale said.

Eleven activities are scheduled throughout the day, including: a campus tour; an inside look at a swamp cooler in Facilities Management; an introduction to the Main Library; a laser show at Flandrau Planetarium; and a special showing of "Mrs. Doubtfire" at Gallagher Theatre.

Athletic success will also be stressed in a behind-the-scenes look at women's basketball, hosted by Coach Joan Bonvicini.

"I think it's very important to bring daughters to work to make them aware of all the different kinds of opportunities for women. Basically, you can do whatever you want to do, it just takes hard work," Bonvicini said.

Other faculty hope their daughters come away with a little insight into the double lives they lead at home and at work.

"I want her to see me in a different light, in a professional life that accomplishes things outside the home. I would hope she would see me as a very positive role model, and would choose to spend the day with me than with Mrs. Doubtfire," said Patti Wiley, coordinator of undergraduate student services for Family and Consumer Resources.

Gajewski said this is the first year anything like this has been brought to campus and has no idea how many daughters will attend.

"The whole thing has snowballed into something bigger than we thought it would be. Many people have really responded," she said. "It's a win-win situation." Read Next Article