Spring Break
Woman of Year award goes to SJSU counselor
Kimberly Lien
Issue date: 3/14/07 Section: News
Wiggsy Sivertsen, director of counseling services at San Jose State University, was recently named Woman of the Year by Assemblyman Ira Ruskin, D-Redwood City.
On March 5, Sivertsen was honored at the 20th Anniversary of the Woman of the Year ceremony. She and other "Women of the Year" were each announced and presented with their awards by their respective Assembly member or state Senator.
Sivertsen said she received a personal phone call from Ruskin informing her of the recognition she would receive as part of the legislature's celebration of Women's History Month.
"Frankly, I was a little stunned by it," Sivertsen said. "Because I was in New Jersey at my brother-in-law's funeral."
Ruskin and Sivertsen had already been acquainted through Sivertsen's activism in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.
"I do a lot of gay politics," Sivertsen said. "We knew each other."
Sivertsen has been a part of the SJSU community for 39 years.
"I started here after graduate school in 1967," Sivertsen said. "That dates me a bit."
In her time at SJSU, she has worked in the counseling services department with students from all walks of life, preferring not to specialize in any one type of counseling.
"I don't want to be a one-stop shop," Sivertsen said. "I think it keeps me more well-rounded. We don't live in gay world. We don't live in a straight world."
After being fired from a day care treatment program, Sivertsen said she came to SJSU and became involved with gay activism.
"I worked with Paul Wysocki," Sivertsen said, "and we started the Gay People's Union."
According to her vitae, Sivertsen founded the Open Mind Network, Inc., or OMNI in 1995. The organization is dedicated to educating other organizations about the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.
She is also the founder of Advocates for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth - a legal representation group for youths who have been discriminated against in the school system - and the co-founder of the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee Lesbian and Gay Political Action Group.
"The department is very proud of her," said Blanca Escoto, assistant to the director of counseling services. "Her caring for the students makes her a wonderful asset to the university."
Sivertsen also teaches a course on alternative lifestyles each semester as a visiting professor in the sociology department.
"Wiggsy is an inspiration and remarkable example of civil rights leadership," Ruskin said in a press release.
Throughout her years at SJSU, Sivertsen has seen and been a part of a change in attitude toward those who chose to lead a non-traditional life.
"It's hard for me to thumbnail it," Sivertsen said, "but I remember a time at this campus when I was the only openly-gay person."
Sivertsen was also named Woman of the Year in 1987 by democrat John Vaconcellos - who was an assemblyman at the time.
On March 5, Sivertsen was honored at the 20th Anniversary of the Woman of the Year ceremony. She and other "Women of the Year" were each announced and presented with their awards by their respective Assembly member or state Senator.
Sivertsen said she received a personal phone call from Ruskin informing her of the recognition she would receive as part of the legislature's celebration of Women's History Month.
"Frankly, I was a little stunned by it," Sivertsen said. "Because I was in New Jersey at my brother-in-law's funeral."
Ruskin and Sivertsen had already been acquainted through Sivertsen's activism in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.
"I do a lot of gay politics," Sivertsen said. "We knew each other."
Sivertsen has been a part of the SJSU community for 39 years.
"I started here after graduate school in 1967," Sivertsen said. "That dates me a bit."
In her time at SJSU, she has worked in the counseling services department with students from all walks of life, preferring not to specialize in any one type of counseling.
"I don't want to be a one-stop shop," Sivertsen said. "I think it keeps me more well-rounded. We don't live in gay world. We don't live in a straight world."
After being fired from a day care treatment program, Sivertsen said she came to SJSU and became involved with gay activism.
"I worked with Paul Wysocki," Sivertsen said, "and we started the Gay People's Union."
According to her vitae, Sivertsen founded the Open Mind Network, Inc., or OMNI in 1995. The organization is dedicated to educating other organizations about the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.
She is also the founder of Advocates for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Youth - a legal representation group for youths who have been discriminated against in the school system - and the co-founder of the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee Lesbian and Gay Political Action Group.
"The department is very proud of her," said Blanca Escoto, assistant to the director of counseling services. "Her caring for the students makes her a wonderful asset to the university."
Sivertsen also teaches a course on alternative lifestyles each semester as a visiting professor in the sociology department.
"Wiggsy is an inspiration and remarkable example of civil rights leadership," Ruskin said in a press release.
Throughout her years at SJSU, Sivertsen has seen and been a part of a change in attitude toward those who chose to lead a non-traditional life.
"It's hard for me to thumbnail it," Sivertsen said, "but I remember a time at this campus when I was the only openly-gay person."
Sivertsen was also named Woman of the Year in 1987 by democrat John Vaconcellos - who was an assemblyman at the time.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Neelam Rattan.
posted 3/14/07 @ 4:53 PM PST
Its a well-deserved award for an outstanding person ,that Wiggsy is.She is a truly warm and genuine person who puts you at ease with her disarming ways. (Continued…)
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