Sharon Howard is entering her 23rd year as director of University Resources for Women. Among the URW’s goals are improving the campus climate for women and helping returning students with re-entry to NIU.

Howard, as URW director, has many responsibilities.

“I provide the administrative over-sight for the program,” she said. “I am also a member of various university committees, particularly those that focus either on the interests of women, like the advisory committee for women studies, or the presidential commission on the status of women, and those that have an emphasis on diversity more generally, like the affirmative action and diversity resources advisory committee, and I provide direct service like running some of the group programs and individual services, like counseling.”

Like all jobs, being URW director has its up and downs.

“My favorite part of the job has become supervising graduate students, practicum students and interns because I really like working with students who are in their professional training programs,” she said. “I don’t like doing budgets and there are a lot of meetings that I could cheerfully do without.”

What keeps Howard going are the continuing challenges and issues facing NIU women.

“Salary equity, both organizationally and nationally, is always a continuing issue that NIU women face,” she said. “Sexual assault, sexual exploitation and sexual harassment are also obviously continuing concerns. One of the things that is of interest to anybody working in a university setting is helping women to become equipped to be financially self-sufficient, and that might be by entering non-traditional occupations.”

Judy Skorek, assistant director of URW since 1986, had nothing but praise for Howard.

“She is an exceptional human being,” she said. “She has a wonderful sense of humor and a terrific personality. She is an exceptional mentor who encourages professional and personal growth in all of us.”

Howard has been encouraging that growth since 1979, when she became the founding director of URW.

“NIU has gotten bigger, faster and smarter since then,” she said. “It has changed in a lot of ways. The students are somewhat different, but we still have a large representation of first-generation college students.”

Howard also has changed.

“Apart from getting older, I am more relaxed in my approach to many things,” she said. “I tend to take fewer concerns that are brought to me home with me. I don’t lose as much sleep as I used to.”

Howard endures the sleepless nights because of her love of helping people.

“I come from a family that placed a very high value on education,” she said. “Actually, my primary objective when I did my graduate work had less to do with education and more to do with counseling. I really like counseling in an educational setting because they are developmental because you see people grow and change and get better at things and that’s a real high for me. I like having the privilege of helping people and make no mistake, it is a privilege.”

When Howard isn’t working, she enjoys traveling, reading and outdoor activities like hiking. She also has an obsession that lead to her most interesting job title.

“Some people call me the soup lady because I like to cook and particularly enjoy making a variety of soups,” she said. “People never know when I am going to show up at their door with soup.”

Howard has a message for all NIU students.

“I would like people to know that they are welcomed here regardless of age, sex, race or field of study,” she said. “And keep on keeping on. Nothing succeeds like persistence.”

For information about University Resources for Women, visit www3.niu.edu/depts/women.