A retirement reception for Jan Deeds, director of the Women’s Center, is 3:30 to 5 p.m. April 24 at the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, Ubuntu Room. Remarks are scheduled for 4 p.m.

Deeds is retiring in May after 21 years of university service. She first joined the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1998 as the director of the Women’s Center and assistant director of Student Involvement. Deeds has served as a staff representative to the Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Women since 1998 and advised the Council of Students since 2002. She also served as a campus/community associate with the women’s and gender studies program since 2011 and taught Introduction to Men’s and Masculinities Studies since 2012.

Deeds is most proud of helping the Women’s Center become a collaborative partner sought by departments and organizations across campus through events like Women’s Week and the Week Without Violence.

“The highlight of my career has been changing the world with the students in the Women’s Center, my classes and the student organizations I’ve advised,” Deeds said. “Women’s Week and the Week Without Violence aren’t just Women’s Center events anymore, they belong to the university community.”

Through her career, Deeds earned several awards for her work with students. These include the James V. Griesen Exemplary Service to Students Award, the Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the GLBT Community, and the Be the Change Award (on behalf of the Women’s Center).

The reception is free and open to the campus community.