The Women's Leadership Project (WLP) honored recipients of its fourth annual Harvard College Women's Leadership Award and Women's Professional Achievement Award last night at a dinner in the Charles Hotel.

Well-known historian, author, and political commentator Doris Kearns Goodwin received the Women's Professional Achievement award. Peggy T. Lim `01 won the Women's Leadership Award, with Hannah Choi `01 and Amy C. Offner `01 receiving honorable mentions.

"This award shows extraordinary levels of commitment and achievement among the women-and men-or the College," said Harry R. Lewis '68, dean of the College. "It's one of the happiest occasions of the year."

Lim and Goodwin both received extended standing ovations after accepting their awards.

A playful atmosphere pervaded audience and speakers alike throughout the evening, with a few gleeful jibes at the expense of men cropping up.

"Tonight is a good indication that the women of this campus are starting to come together and really form a fraternity-of sorts," joked WLP co-chair Jennifer B. Monti `02.

Goodwin continued the merriment, speaking of her upcoming book on Abraham Lincoln and her choice to focus on his political rather than his military leadership.

"The wonderful thing about having all these men in the field [of Lincoln and Civil War history]-they're all drawn like a laser to those stupid battles," she quipped to much laughter and applause.