Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics
Dianne Bystrom, Director

The Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics is dedicated to the promotion of civic engagement, especially youth, and women's participation in community leadership, politics and public service. Its Advancing Citizenship Together (ACT) Learning Community, Joni and John Axel Leadership Development Seminar Series, and Legacy of Heroines seminars prepare students for leadership roles on campus, in their chosen careers, and in their communities by teaching them organizational, communication and leadership skills necessary to succeed in today's diverse society.

Through the Mary Louise Smith Chair in Women and Politics, the Center brings distinguished women leaders to the Iowa State campus to educate citizens about the role of women in the political process and to serve as role models for students. The Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for Research on Women and Politics reaches out to scholars in diverse academic fields and supports studies advancing our knowledge of gender and politics.

The Center is developing an Archive of Women's Political Communication, which will serve as an important and unique resource for Iowa State faculty and students as well as researchers throughout the world interested in studying the political speeches and television commercials of women political leaders in the United States and abroad.