MCC salutes these phenomenal women in #WomensHistoryMonth

March 04, 2022

As part of Women's History Month, Metropolitan Community College will be highlighting a few of the many outstanding women leaders in the MCC community.

Ellen Martin

Martin has been a member of the Metropolitan Community College Board of Trustees, representing Subdistrict 5, since 2018. She is also a retired longtime MCC faculty member and administrator. In 2021, at the College's inaugural "She Is" women's conference, organizers announced the establishment of Ellen Forrest Martin Day in recognition of her service and commitment to MCC.

Barbara Washington

Washington, an attorney, is a Missouri state senator (9th District, in office since 2021) and a former state representative (23rd District). Since 2016 she has also served on the Metropolitan Community College Board of Trustees, representing Subdistrict 3. In 2021, at MCC's inaugural "She Is" women's conference, organizers announced the Barbara Anne Washington Women Making History Award, to be bestowed at future conferences.

Dr. Karen Curls

Curls, criminal justice program coordinator at Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley, has been a faculty member for more than 30 years. She's the founder of MCC's Civil Rights Pilgrimage, a bus tour that takes students to notable African-American historic sites in the South. Curls was recently announced as a 2022 recipient of the Dale P. Parnell Distinguished Faculty award from the American Association of Community Colleges.

Dr. Melissa Eaton

Eaton is social science division chair and an anthropology instructor at Metropolitan Community College-Longview. She also serves as president of MCC's Faculty Senate. An anthropologist and archaeologist, she is president of the Kansas City Archaeological Society and a board member of the Missouri Archaeological Society. Eaton was recently awarded the J. Mett Shippee Award for Outstanding Service in local archaeology.