JOPLIN, Mo. — Purple was the color of the day on an area university campus.

Not only is it the color of royalty, but purple also happens to be the hue signifying International Women’s Day, and several female students in the MSSU social work program have been working behind the scenes to make sure that occasion received its just due, among them Diamond native McKinzie Peterson, who organized as scavenger hunt taking place the rest of the month.

“At the end, it will lead you to our Anderson Justice Building which is where our Social Work office is located uh and there will be prizes so you just find a staff member from the Social Work Department uh and they can give you your prize,” said McKinzie Peterson, MSSU Social Work Major.

“We created these events so that we can bring awareness to International Women’s Day. International Women’s Day is for everyone, it tells the story of all that women have overcome in history and it really promotes diversity, inclusion, and equality and then equity,” said Brieanna Anderson, MSSU Social Work Major.

Whether it’s women who have made history outside the Four States, or those who are local community leaders, Joplin High School graduate Gabby Herron says, if you can see it, you can be it.

“And just learning from them and learning how to grow and promote Women’s equality is important so I think it’s just important that we can see that happening right here and we know we can do it too,” said Gabby Herron, MSSU Social Work Major.