As part of Women’s History Month, the Women’s Council for Leadership and Service will host their Annual Hatitude Tea Party at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 29th in the Wille A. Tempton Sr. Memorial Student Center Ballroom. This year’s Women’s History Month theme is “Nevertheless She Persisted: ‘Honoring Women Who Fight All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.” The event is free and open to the public, and participants are encouraged to dress up.

The target audience is women, but gentlemen are also encouraged to attend the event. Those who attend typically serve as escorts. Before Hatitude and after registration, female students are automatically registered for the hatmaking workshop. At the workshop, participants are provided with a hat and various items like ribbon and flowers to decorate and personalize it. These materials are provided and funded by the Office of Institutional Relations and University Advancement. Gentlemen who register and participate are provided with donated “brims” to sport at the event.

In the spring of 2008, the Women’s Council for Leadership and Service Committee decided to host an event to attract the female student population. They looked at the campus climate and culture and decided they wanted to see a change. The Council felt the women of Prairie View A&M University would be the ones to start the transformation. With this information and goal in mind, they started the Annual Hatitude Tea Party.

Dr. Lauretta F. Byars, vice president for Student Affairs, is a co-facilitator on the council. “I enjoy working with Hatitude,” said Byars, “I think it’s one of the most exciting programs we put on.” She is involved ensuring the Tea Party is successful and says it brings her joy seeing everyone dressed up in their hats. “I think when students look better they act better,” said Byars, “I see a difference in the way participants walk, talk and treat each other.” Having students dress up is also a way to help them prepare for the professional world. “Since we have to take them from where they are to where we know they need to be to be successful in the workplace,” said Byars, “I think the tea party is one way to help us do that.”

Instead of having a keynote speaker this year, senior Kristen Williams will emcee a panel discussion featuring a female student, staff and community member. The panelists are:

  • Miss Prairie View A&M University 2017-2018 Moriah K. Colbert 
  • Head of Reference at the John B. Coleman Library, Kimberly Gay, M.L.S.
  • The Honorable Judge Marian Elaine Jackson

Registration for the Hatitude Tea Party is available here. As a participant, your registration automatically enrolls you in the hat-making workshop.