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Women's Studies: Student-Centered |
| The purpose of the genderations luncheon series is to provide a forum for faculty members and students to share and discuss their work in a collegial atmosphere, over a free lunch of soups and breads. One luncheon per year features students’ work, which has provided a wonderful opportunity for discussion of experiential learning at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. One experiential project featured at a 2005 genderations luncheon was graduate student Lindsey Bale’s book club at the Warren County jail. She established the book club not only to fulfill the requirements for a community outreach project in Feminst Knowledge and Social Chage (WOMN 545), but also because enabling female prisoners had been a lifelong goal for Lindsey. As a result of her work, the Women’s Studies Program adopted the book club as a permanent project, which graduate assistant Heather Bridges now facilitates. Also supported by the Provost’s Initiatives for Excellence and the College Heights Bookstore, the Book Club is one of the ways students take their learning off campus and employ it in the service of others. |  Every year the Western Feminist Thought class presents Eve Ensler's Vagina Monologues. This photograph features the 2002 cast. |
 Women's studies minors Jillian Palovich (left) and Kanya Reid (right) pictured at the 2005 South Atlantic Regional Collegiate Global Women's and Human Rights Conference listening to Feminist Majority President and publisher of Ms. Magazine Eleanor Smeal. |
"Although the program
has grown tremendously, I hope in the future that more students will realize
the value of the women’s studies minor and graduate certificate
and that I will be able to provide more travel and special opportunities
for women’s studies students." |
Although the program has grown tremendously, Jane Olmsted hopes in the future that more students will realize the value of the women’s studies minor and graduate certificate and that she will be able to provide more travel and special opportunities for women’s studies students. On October 29, 2005, the Women’s Studies Program along with the Provost’s Initiatives for Excellence provided funding for a group of women’s studies minors and graduate students to attend the National Collegiate Global Women and Human Rights Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The Women’s Studies Program Committee for Outreach and Service is also planning a new project that will give students the opportunity to work with people in the community—a week-long residential summer camp for low-income women and their children. Women Learning Together (WLT) is inspired by the New Opportunity School for Women in Berea, Kentucky. Women will stay on campus, eat in the campus dining facilities, and attend workshops in the morning with topics from furthering their education to building self-esteem and empowerment. In the afternoons, participants will serve as interns with local businesses and organizations, to “test the waters” in their areas of interest. Evenings will consist of cultural and social events. While the women are engaged in their activities, their children will attend artistic workshops led by WKU students and prepare a presentation for the graduation ceremony. Activities like these, which not only educate students on current issues, but also inspire them to effect change at a local level are exactly the type of student-centered initiatives that Women’s Studies seeks to support. |
 Pictured Clockwise: Women's studies minors and graduate students Angie Fetty, Mackenzie Erd, Jenna Vondran, and Katie Cielinski; Lindsey Bale; Tiffany Hubert; Sheryl Stoeck; Cheyenne Hohman. All attend Western's campus except for Stoeck, who is one of our online certificate hopefuls. |
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