Josie Miranda Cartagena, a Women's Studies major, has been chosen as the winner of the Ruth E. Anderson Award, given annually to recognize contributions on behalf of women at the University of California, Davis. The award is presented to the UC Davis woman student, staff or faculty member who has helped campus women realize their value, strength and potential through her teaching, research, advocacy or example. Anderson served as dean of women at UC Davis for 20 years, retiring in 1987. As coordinator of the campus chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), Cartagena assumed a leadership role in several campus issues, including a protest against the Carl's Jr. restaurant; a movement to establish an ethnic studies requirement for undergraduates; a push for the inclusion of floats with political themes in the Picnic Day parade; and a number of activities concerning reproductive rights. Other campus achievements include helping to found Shades of Lavender, an organization for gay, lesbian and bisexual students of color, and the Women's Studies Student Collective. In 1991, Cartagena was a steering committee member, a workshop presenter and a plenary speaker for the national Young Feminist Conference. She serves as an affirmative action representative for six different California NOW chapters and is on the advisory committee to the NOW Executive Board for the California Young Feminist Conference. Cartagena, who served as an academic peer adviser for the Women's Studies program, exemplifies the notion "that Women's Studies is about the integration of theory and practice," said Celeste Beirne, program assistant. "She has helped create an impressive network of students, and she makes time for everyone, often outside her work hours." Merline Williams, a former instructor for Women's Studies at UC Davis, said, "I have witnessed Josie's transformation into a competent, effective, inspirational leader, and she is now my friend and teacher."