The sixth annual “Strong-Minded Women” celebration will be held Thursday to honor Iowa women who have made a difference.

The 1999 recipients of the Strong-Minded Women Awards are Elizabeth Beck, Honors Program coordinator at Iowa State; State Rep. Cecelia Burnett; Jehan Faisal, senior in English; Linda Gaylan, former professor of English at ISU; and Ames High School senior Gina Russell.

The event is sponsored by the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics and hosted by Patty Jischke, wife of ISU President Martin Jischke.

“The celebration honors women who have made a difference in the Ames community, their students, their family, the university and the world,” said Dianne Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics.

The celebration was created by Patty Jischke and will consist of a dinner, an awards ceremony, a speech by Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson and a dessert reception.

“I came up with the idea by reading a book, ‘Strong-Minded Women’ by Louise Noun,” Patty Jischke said.

The book inspired Patty Jischke to invite Noun to ISU to meet with accomplished women six years ago, and it has evolved into the event it is today.

“It really is an exciting evening,” Patty Jischke said. “It’s a high-energy, grand occasion.”

One of the highlights of the semi-formal evening is the presentation of the award recipients and nominees, Bystrom said.

“It brings tears to your eyes to see the differences these remarkable women have made,” she said. “It’s incredible just to read the nominations.”

The awardees are chosen from about 25 nominees, Bystrom said.

The nominations consist of a total of four letters of recommendation, which were due in February. Bystrom said anyone can make nominations and be nominated.

Also being presented at the ceremony are the Catt Awards and the induction of the newest members of the Catt Associates program.

“Males can be members of the Catt Associates program, as well as females,” Bystrom said, “although the other awards are to honor females only.”

The 1999-2000 Catt Associates inductees are Kelly Brandau, Mariah Burrell, Quincie Cooper, Brooke Doering, Zina Ellis, Jami Hagemeier, Regina Hertz, Lauren Hughes, Akylah Johnson, Sean Patrick Kehoe, Summer Kriegshauser, Kaofeng Lee, Rachel Scherle and Stacy Walshire.

Dinner will be from 6 to 8 p.m., awards at 7 p.m., Pederson’s speech at 7:20 p.m. and a dessert reception afterwards.

Bystrom said she hopes to see a lot of people at the celebration.

“It’s an exciting night, a competitive award,” she said. “It honors women who take risks, affect change and make a difference.”