News
From left to right: Elly Miller, Amy Sanchez-Difebo, Emily Geesey, Nina Thomas, Amina Abdullah, and Nia Smith
CONGRATULATIONS to the Class of 2024! On Saturday, May 4 Penn State University’s College of the Liberal Arts held commencement at the Bryce Jordan Center. Family and friends gathered around in celebration of the achievement of their loved one’s graduation. WGSS graduated 8 majors and 18 minors in the spring Class of 2024.
Class of 2024 WGSS Majors:
Amina Abdullah graduated with an English (B.A.) and a Women’s & Gender Studies (B.A.) with a Minor in African American Studies, she will be attending a master’s degree in literature, Culture, and Technology at the American University.
Amy Sanchez-Difebo graduated with a Political Science (B.A.), and a Women’s & Gender Studies (B.A.) she will be beginning a career focused in Law, Politics, and Government.
Emily Geesey graduated with a Women’s & Gender Studies (B.S.), she will be attending law school in later years to become a human rights lawyer to fight for justice for survivors of domestic violence.
Elly Miller graduated with a Political Science (B.A.) and a Women’s & Gender Studies (B.A.) she will be beginning the Penn State Public Policy Master’s program this fall. She will be specializing in health policy and gender equity policy with the intention of developing policies that make pregnancy and childbirth safer for women in the US.
Anastasia Schechterly graduated with a Women & Gender Studies (B.A.), she will be becoming a Children & Youth caseworker.
Nia Smith graduated with a Psychology (B.A.) and a Women & Gender Studies (B.A.) with a Minor in Child Maltreatment and Advocacy Studies and a Certificate in Diversity Studies, she was also Schreyer’s Scholar in Psychology & McNair Scholar. She will be continuing her education and intends to get a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology so she can aid in the innovative efforts to decrease child maltreatment and create new intervention and prevention methods. Nia also served as the WGSS Student Marshal.
Jaina Spatola graduated with a Women’s & Gender Studies (B.A.) and will be graduating in December 2024 with an Accounting (B.S.), she will be working full time as the Project Manager at Highmark Health starting this summer.
Nina Thomas graduated with a Women & Gender Studies (B.A.) with a Minor in History, and a certificate in Diversity Studies. She will be starting a Master’s in International Peacekeeping and Conflict Resolution at the American University.
Class of 2024 WGSS Minors:
Madison Campsey
Giselle Concepcion
Leigh Chamberlain
Kyla Davis
Amita Diarra
Gianna Fazio
Paige Gray
Haleigh Hainsey
Paige Harris
Quinn Malinowski
Shweta Marathe
Miranda Ortega
Anna Parker
Marissa Polding
Meghan Quaid
Jessica Ramsey
Victoria Stark
Lauren Welsh
The future is bright for all these recent graduates, and we couldn’t be any prouder of our WGSS graduating Class of 2024!
Caroline Fitzgerald spoke as the 2024 College of the Liberal Arts Guest Commencement Speaker and is a testament to how impactful a WGSS degree can be. Caroline is just one of our amazing alumni that uses her WGSS experience in her career and everyday life. Caroline is trailblazing for women in sports with her company GOALS which is dedicated to growing the business side of women’s sports. The work that is done in WGSS is imperative to creating a more inclusive space and understanding of the ongoing oppression of marginalized peoples.
Congratulations again to the Class of 2024!!!
On Wednesday, April 24th the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies invited Caroline Fitzgerald to accept the WGSS 2024 Outstanding AlumnX Award at the 2024 WGSS Awards Ceremony and Reception. Caroline will also be returning to campus on May 4th as Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts 2024 Commencement Speaker.
Caroline Fitzgerald (she/her) is the CEO and Founder of GOALS—a women’s sports marketing consultancy and media platform. Caroline launched GOALS in 2020 after recognizing that there was an opportunity to help brands see the business value around investing in women’s sports. GOALS also produces the leading women’s sports business podcast—The Business Case for Women’s Sports, which is presented by Ally and hosted by Caroline. Before launching GOALS, Caroline worked for 10-plus years as a marketing and sponsorship sales professional for a variety of organizations, including Kohl’s Department Stores, the Smithsonian-Affiliated Heinz History Center museum, and the DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon. Caroline graduated from the Schreyer Honors College at Penn State with dual degrees—a bachelor of science in marketing and a bachelor of arts in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. Caroline also holds a master of science degree in global sport from New York University. While at Penn State, Caroline served as the merchandise director for THON 2011, a lion ambassador, a member of the women’s club basketball team, a member of the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Honor Society (TRIOTA), a resident assistant, and worked for all four years as a student program associate at Penn State’s Center for Gender Equity. Caroline lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Congratulations Caroline on your award!
On Wednesday, April 24th WGSS held our annual WGSS Awards Ceremony and Reception celebrating our student award winners, graduating seniors, Triota inductees, faculty, and WGSS AlumnX Winner Caroline Fitzgerald. It was an incredible evening celebrating our department and its hard work.
Caroline Fitzgerald our 2024 WGSS AlumX Award Recipient is the CEO and Founder of Goals a women’s sports marketing consultancy and media platform which aims to grow women’s sports. Caroline is a 2012 Marketing and Women’s Studies (B.A.S.c.) Alum and an emerging alumni leader in the College of the Liberal Arts. While at Penn State, Caroline served as the merchandise director for THON 2011, a Lion Ambassador, a member of the Women’s Club basketball team, a member of the Women’s Studies Honor Society, a resident assistant, and worked for all four years as a student program associate at Penn State’s Center for Gender Equity. Caroline lives in Pittsburgh, PA.
Inductees of Undergraduates into the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Honor Society, Iota Iota Iota (Triota):
Evan Cutler
Emily Choe
Aria Eichhof
Maya Fulton
Katie Mussett
Jessica Ramsey
Anjelica Rubin
Nina Thomas
Graduating Majors of WGSS:
Amina Abdullah
Amy Sanchez-DiFebo
Emily Geesey
Elly Miller
Anastasia Schechterly
Nia Smith
Jaina Spatola
Nina Thomas
Undergraduate Student Awards:
Judith Hardes Fund in the College of the Liberal Arts – Amina Abdullah
Laura Richardson Whitaker Memorial Undergraduate Award in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies – Nia Smith
Mimi Barash Coppersmith Endowed Scholarship in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies – Nia Smith
Mimi Barash Coppersmith Endowed Scholarship: Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award – Giselle Concepcion
Wietlisbach Family Award in the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies – Emma Martinson and Elly Miller
Graduate Student Awards:
Laura Richardson Whitaker Memorial Graduate Award in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies – Maggie-Rose Condit-Summerson and Emily Southard
Join us in congratulating Dr. Jamie Andreson for receiving the Advancing Penn State Global Instructor Award 2024! We are so proud of you and all your continued work in WGSS!
On Wednesday, January 24, 2024, WGSS had the honor and the privilege to host our Rape Culture on Campus panel discussion. It was an impactful event filled with insights from our incredible panelists and engaged audience. We would like to extend a special thank you to Penn State Gender Equity Center, Gender Equity Coalition at Penn State, Greeks Care, It’s On Us Penn State and the State High Purple Project for the continued hard work of the resources and support you all tirelessly provide for survivors. We thank you for constantly challenging rape culture on campus & in our community.
Thank you to Dean Lang and Penn State College of the Liberal Arts for your support of this event and our department.
… and a HUGE thank you to our panelists Adrienne Williams, Jocelyn Anderson, Jill Wood, and Barrett Marshall. We are so grateful to you all for sharing your stories, insights, and hopes for the future. We couldn’t have facilitated such a successful event without each and every one of you. ♥️
Media coverage:
Sexual assault survivors share stories at Penn State (youtube.com)
Penn State survivor of sexual assault talks rape culture | Centre Daily Times
Sexual assault survivor shares story after 45 years | Centre Daily Times
The WGSS Department Announces a New Paid Internship Fellowship for Majors!
The Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is excited to announce a new paid internship opportunity for our undergraduate majors. WGSS is launching the Judith Hardes Intern Fellowship (JHIF) to begin in the fall 2023 semester. The JHIF is a collaborative initiative between WGSS and the Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS) that combines academic credit with financial support for domestic and/or international job experience in a feminist organization that offers support for victims of gender and sexual violence and that seeks to unite feminist organizations to address such violence on a global level. The JHIF offers support for one academic semester with the possibility of an extension into a second semester or summer. The GNWS placement is designed to help students transition their WGSS educational experience into the competitive work world by testing personal strengths, working collaboratively, and sharing reflections on work experiences with the instructor and colleagues in a feminist workplace. The internship opportunity is available year-round and is offered to students who are WGSS majors through a competitive review process. We are not able to guarantee admittance to all students who apply in any given semester. The course requirements and expectations for course credit combine the general guidelines of the department’s WMNST 495 Internship with some specific requirements for the JHIF.
The JHIF application requires a submission of the general application form for a WGSS internship found at: https://wgss.la.psu.edu/undergraduate/internships-and-opportunities/. This application form requires information from yourself, from your field advisor, and from a faculty internship director. Only WGSS majors are eligible to apply, and all other eligibility requirements for an internship must be met. In addition to this form, write a brief explanation (no more than 250 words) describing your interest in the JHIF specifically. Please submit all materials to Melissa Hummel at mjc7030@psu.edu. All application materials for the JHIF are due by August 14, 5pm.
For specific information regarding the JHIF and the application process please contact the JHIF Academic Coordinator, Dr. Melissa W. Wright, at mww11@psu.edu.
On April 26, 2023, the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies joined for their annual Awards Ceremony and Reception. The evening highlighted the Department’s inspiring work and celebrated graduating seniors, award winners, and inductees of Triota (WGSS’s Honor Society).
2023 AlumnX Award Winner
Sara Woods, the 2023 WGSS AlumnX Award Winner, accepted her award and shared her inspirational story of how Penn State’s Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies influenced her life and career. Sara directly continues her support of WGSS through her two graduate student awards each year.
Sara Woods graduated from Penn State in 1996 with bachelor’s degrees in women’s studies and psychology, followed by a juris doctorate from the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law in 2005 and a master of public administration degree from Villanova University. Today, Sara is the co-president and chief executive officer of Heights Philadelphia, a nonprofit educational organization that transforms the pathways to college and career for low-income, first-generation-to-college, Black and Brown students. Heights Philadelphia is the merger of Steppingstone Scholars and Philadelphia Futures, where Sara served as president and CEO before the merger. Sara previously served as executive director of Philadelphia VIP, a nonprofit that recruits, trains, and supports lawyers who volunteer to help low-income Philadelphians tackle critical legal problems. She began her legal career as a public interest lawyer representing survivors of domestic violence. An active Penn State alumni volunteer, Sara participates in the College the of Liberal Arts’ mentor, law careers, and Women in Leadership programs, and as an admissions interviewer for the Schreyer Honors College.
The 2023 Award Winners
Carolyn Sachs Feminist Leadership Award
Sarabeth N. Bowmaster
Judith Hardes Fund in the College of the Liberal Arts
Nina Thomas
Esther Gershenson
Molly French-McShea
Judith Hardes Reproductive Justice Leadership Award
Molly French-McShea
Laura Richardson Whitaker Memorial Undergraduate Award in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Micha McConnell
Mimi Barash Coppersmith Endowed Scholarship in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Kendra Napier-Fonash
Shaka Ramanathan
Mimi Barash Coppersmith Endowed Scholarship: Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award
Cecilia Gavazzi
Wietlisbach Family Award in the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Mercer Weaver
Judith Hardes Graduate Student Research Award in Reproductive Justice
Kris McLain
Maggie-Rose Condit-Summerson
Alex Herrera
Austen Walker
Judith Hardes Professional Development Award in Reproductive Justice
Flora Oswald
Laura Richardson Whitaker Memorial Graduate Award in Women’s Studies
Zinhle Manzini
Sara Woods Graduate Fund in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies: Outstanding Graduate Student Award
Ryan Pilcher
Judith Hardes Award for Course Development in Reproductive Justice
Ariane Cruz
Judith Hardes Reproductive Justice Mentoring Award
Jill Wood
Sara Woods Graduate Fund in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies: Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award
Maggie-Rose Condit-Summerson
Triota Inductees
Rayna Alexander
Emily Choe
Evan Cutler
Lorraine Garday
Rachel Kriescher
Olivia Podskoch
Mary Elizabeth Quaid
Amy Schafer
Annika Shastry
Akshata Shastry
Priya Tang
Amanda Varner
