Gender and Women's Studies Program Records

The Women’s Studies Department (WTSU) launched on July 1, 1984 with Rita Braito as the first program director, followed by Sarah Nelson (1985-1987) and M.E. Warlick (1987-1990). Initially, the program offered a double major coupled with another academic program and a minor in Women’s Studies. The program did not have a dedicated space until 1990, when the fourth program director, Terry Reynolds, secured a space on the third floor of Mary Reed. Reynolds also established a Women’s Study Library and Archives. In 1995, WSTU established a fund in memory of the original program director, Rita Braito. This fund granted an award each spring to one or more WSTU majors and/or minors for “Exceptional Achievement in Women’s Studies.”

In 2004, Women’s Studies changes it named to “Gender and Women’s Studies.” In 2011, GWST became a standalone major and the department hired its first full-time teaching faculty, Lindsey Feitz. In 2015, GWST established its Global Master’s Program with Lund University in Sweden. In 2017, GWST moved to the Chamber’s Center, where it currently remains. In 2020, GWST gained its first tenured faculty member, Luc Beaudoin.

Currently, the Gender and Women’s Studies Program offers a cross-disciplinary undergraduate major and minor composed of courses taught throughout the University by a diverse faculty. Reflecting the vitality of recent feminist, ethnic and queer scholarship, these courses examine the roles of gender, race and sexualities in the lives of all people. The mission of the Gender and Women’s Studies program is to explore gender as a primary category of analysis for the understanding of individuals and human societies in historical and cultural contexts.