PAGE 4 (FROM BOTTOM LEFT): GLITORIS DRESSED UP FOR HALLOWEEN. PANELISTS FROM WEARING HER CROWN. JILLIAN HISCOCK, FOUNDER OF A BAR OF THEIR OWN, WITH WC STAFF. THE WC IS FAMOUS FOR ITS BUTTONS. STUDENT STAFF COUNTER-TABLE MEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN ATWOOD.
PAGE 8 (FROM BOTTOM LEFT): WC VIOLENCE PREVENTION ORIENTATION SEX TALKS: CONSENT & COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS COMMUNITY FAIR. ST. CLOUD PRIDE IN THE PARK. TRANS JOY & VISIBILITY PANEL EVENT TAKE BACK THE NIGHT RALLY AND MARCH
CONTENTS table of
Welcome
Mission, Programs, and Services
Overview
How We Support Students and the Community
Gender Violence Prevention
Special Events
Educational Campaigns
Scholarships
Highlight: Playing for Her
Highlight: Feminist Leadership
Highlight: Donations
Collaborators and Partners
WELCOME
The Women’s Center, founded by a coalition of student, staff, and faculty activists, opened in 1989 in response to a demand for women’s equal educational opportunities, greater safety, and gender-related resources at St Cloud State University
Throughout its rich history, the Women’s Center has provided educational programming; a comprehensive array of services to students experiencing gender violence, harassment, exploitation, and discrimination; scholarships for non-traditional students; institutional advocacy for policies and procedures supporting gender equity; leadership and professional development opportunities; and more.
Our FY24 Impact Report showcases the amazing work of the Women’s Center over the last year, most of it planned and coordinated by our dedicated and brilli student staff. Highlights include a 27% increase in the number of points of contacts with students and community members, the dramatic increase in attendance at our educational special events as a result of incorporating livestreaming, and a celebration of feminist leadership 10 years in the making as advocates from the Women’s Center honored a decade’s hard work to make menstrual equity the law of the land in Minnesota!
In
Solidarity,
Angelica, Habiba, Heather, Jasmine, Jess, Kara, Lydia, and Rebecca
MISSION, PROGRAMS, AND SERVICES OVERVIEW
our Mission
Our mission is to advance women across identities and advocate for gender equity and social justice through transformative programs and services. The Women’s Center offers a comprehensive array of programs, services, and resources to meet the needs of students of all genders.
Programs and Services
Gender Violence Support Services Program: support/processing related to an experience of violation or abuse, dating/relationship/intimacy issues, or concern for a peer/friend/partner; education and referral to options and information on campus, criminal, and civil laws, policies, reporting, legal processes, and victim rights; safety planning and assistance with campus supportive measures; assistance with filing a lease termination form or a Harassment Restraining Order; identifying needs and referrals to campus and community resources/support; and educational resources on relationships, sexuality, feminist and gender issues;
Sexual Violence Prevention Training: administration of the Sexual Violence Prevention Training (SVPT) program that is required by Minnesota state law for all incoming students; Basic Needs Supplies: free safer sex, menstruation, and reproductive health supplies for members of the campus community including tampons, pads, liners, reusable menstrual cups, internal and external condoms, dams, lubricant, and emergency contraception; Pregnancy and Parenting Support: disposable pregnancy tests; directions to on-campus lactation spaces; and referral to local resources;
Education and Presentations: on topics including but not limited to: introduction to the Women’s Center programs/services, or on topics such as violence prevention, affirmative sexual consent, patriarchal violence and abolition, rape culture, supporting survivors, and equitable relationships and sexuality;
Special events, speakers, workshops, groups, educational programming, activism, and community organizing;
Scholarships for nontraditional students: we administer approximately $30,000 in scholarships annually;
Opportunities for student internships and employment with a team committed to the practice of gender equity and social justice;
Staff/faculty trainings and faculty curriculum assistance and consultation about women’s, gender, feminist, sexism, and violence-related issues; and, Assistance with student academic projects and workshops on social justice skill development.
How We Support Students and the Community
Supplies 40.3%
Online SVPT Support 14.3%
Pregnancy and Parenting Information 11.2%
Other 10.2%
Learn About WC Services and Programs 8.4%
Gender Violence Support (Non-Advocacy) 9.2%
Housing and Financial Support 4.4%
Academic and Learning Support 2.1%
We have seen an overall increase in contacts this academic year
In FY24, through the end of April, we had 6,623 points of contact with students and community members through our services; programs, events, and workshops; referrals; and educational campaigns, not including social media education and outreach. This represents an overall 27% increase in points of contact in comparison to FY23.
GENDER VIOLENCE PREVENTION
When support is needed, the Women’s Center is there
In FY24, 30 students had one (or many) appointments with our gender violence advocate at the Women’s Center for significant, crisis advocacy services (such as support counseling, assistance with filling out the paperwork for and filing a Harassment Restraining Order or lease termination form, developing and implementing a safety plan, etc.).
“I have utilized the Women’s Center many times. Every time I left after talking to Rebecca, I left with confidence to do the things I need to do, strength to face my fears, and resources to move forward. Sometimes, it may be the same resources, but I might not have the courage to use them yet. The repetition of being reminded that the resources will help me pushes me forward in making the decisions. I am grateful for the presence of the Women’s Center on campus. I often send my peers over to meet with someone, and they mostly always come back happier. Keep doing what you’re doing. Women’s Center, thank you for everything!” - Anonymous student survey feedback
Throughout the year, we offered presentations on gender equity and violence prevention in classrooms and student groups such as Greek Life, international students, student athletes, and study abroad students. We also trained faculty/staff and future student professionals (counselors, teachers, advocates, and others) in best practices to support victim/survivors in trauma-responsive approaches.
Popular Workshops
Patriarchal Violence Abolition
This workshop educates students in critically analyzing connections between various scales of interpersonal and systemic violence. This presentation introduces concepts of gender and power-based oppression and abuse, normalization of violence and rape culture, and transformative justice using an intersectional, abolitionist, Black feminist framework.
Sex Talks
This interactive workshop equips students in sexual self-advocacy skills to assertively state, ask, respond, and respect their own boundaries and others’. This workshop helps students better understand affirmative sexual consent, coercion, assertive communication, campus policies, and connect students to campus/community resources.
SPECIAL EVENTS
The Women’s Center is a campus leader in providing educational programming, and this long-standing reputation continues through our continued ability to offer thoughtful programs that attract students and community members alike. In FY24, we saw a 32% increase in the number of individuals attending our special events. An important contributor to this increase was our decision to offer live streaming or online options for most events, workshops, and panels during spring semester. Over the semester, the percentage of viewers attending events via livestream increased, from 33% of the total audience to 68% of the total audience. Some of our favorite program posters are featured below, and the next page provides more details about our offerings.
Anonymous Q&A Sex Ed and Birth Control Virtual Info Session
Menstrual Equity Rollout Celebration
Held once in fall and one in spring, this presentation by Morgan, a Planned Parenthood health educator, provided unjudgmental, evidence-based basic sex education. Over 45 questions were answered in real time.
This special event celebrated a decade of feminist leadership and advocacy leading to the passage of a bill requiring free menstrual products be made available in public bathrooms on public higher education campuses throughout the state of Minnesota Student leaders from the Women’s Center were instrumental to the success of this statewide campaign
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Gender, Weight, and Learning: Understanding Challenges, Supporting Students
Playing for Her
Women's Sports All the Time: Gender Equity and A Bar of Their Own
Women’s Center Director Dr Heather A Brown presented on the research about the connections among gender, fatness, and academic outcomes and what fat women learners themselves say about how educators and institutions can support them in their learning journeys without demanding that they change their bodies
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Wearing Your Crown
Empowering Healthcare: Midwifery’s Role in Reproductive Care
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We Belong: A Panel Discussion in Honor of Trans Resilience and Joy
SCSU women athletes shared their unique journeys and experiences playing in sports including their triumphs, successes, and challenges The intersection of women, sports, and leadership forms a powerful opportunity for young people to lead us towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all Panelists included Molly Arneson (Swim & Dive), Erica Conrad (Cross Country), Paola Brena (Track & Field), Emma Gentry (Hockey), Gracie Parsons (Soccer), Lydia Krueger (Softball), Maria Molitor (Tennis) and Sam Zimmerman (Volleyball) Kara Cowell (Swim & Dive) moderated 180
To celebrate February’s National Girls & Women in Sports Month (and as an early kick-off for March’s Women’s Herstory Month), Jillian Hiscock spoke about her fight for gender equity in sports and her experience working to open the FIRST bar in Minnesota that shows exclusively women’s sports.
This panel, featuring Gabrielle (Elle) Brown, SCSU Head Women's Cross Country and Track & Field Coach; Angelica Pena, SNAP-Ed Health & Wellness Coordinator, University of Minnesota Extension; Chocoletta A Simpson, SCSU Vice President for Equity and Inclusion & Title IX Coordinator; and Jason Woods, SCSU Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management; with moderator Tatianna Woods, SCSU student in Sociology and Gender and Women Studies, was a discussion about the lived experiences of Black and Brown women moving in professional spaces with natural hair
This presentation by U of M School of Public Health PhD student Nicole Quinones explored the history, challenges, and importance of midwifery, from its integral role in communities to its historical suppression through sexist and racist practices.
In honor of Trans Day of Visibility and the first anniversary of the passage of the Trans Refuge Bill in MN, Jay Belsito of Gender Justice and SCSU students and staff coordinated a discussion on trans joy, resistance, and hope
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EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS
In addition to special events, programs, workshops, and panels, we also conduct educational campaigns.
This spring, we offered Ejaculate Responsibly: A Pro-Choice and ProLife Male Accountability Campaign. This campaign utilized physical posters as well as social media posts, presentations, and a video on our YouTube channel. Our Instagram reel for the campaign was viewed 1,278 times.
The nation's largest anti-abortion campaign, 40 Days for Life, is held each spring. Launched during 40 Days for Life, the Women’s Center’s Ejaculate Responsibly campaign (a poster series with 12 unique messages) was and is an invitation to think differently about abortion, sexual politics, and accountability.
Inspired by Gabrielle Blair’s (2022) book, Ejaculate Responsibly: A Whole New Way to Think About Abortion, the purpose of this campaign was to provoke deeper interrogation of the prolife/pro-choice dichotomy, which is a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different. Using Blair’s framework, we sought to bring a fresh perspective through awareness and attention to men’s choices and their primary role in causing unintended pregnancies Knowing this, how can we change it? An extensive description of the campaign can be seen here
SCHOLARSHIPS
The Women’s Center awards about $30,000 in annual scholarships
The scholarships we administer support students who are returning to school after time away, students who are single parents, students who are nontraditional, and students who are studying or working towards careers in specific areas of study or require a demonstration of leadership skills. The newest scholarship we will be administering, starting Fall 2024, is the Catharine Van Nostrand, MA Student Support for Gender-Responsible Leadership Fund.
Highlight: Playing for Her
“PLAYING FOR HER” HIGHLIGHTS THE VOICES OF WOMEN STUDENT-ATHLETES ON SCSU CAMPUS
By Maya Geving / News Reporter
ST CLOUD, Minn (KVSC) On Tuesday, Jan 30, St Cloud State University Women’s Center hosted “Playing for Her” on campus, an event that showcased SCSU student-athletes and their experiences as women in sports
“We planned this event to tie all of the women’s athletics team members together,” said Kara Cowell, facilitator of the event “We wanted to make sure that we gave those athletes a platform to share their experiences ”
Cowell is a member of the SCSU Swim & Dive team and a staff member at the Women’s Center.
During the program, she and SCSU Women’s Center Director Dr. Heather Brown addressed the sexualization and sexual harassment that women athletes face. They also called attention to the Title IX Act for its tremendous impact through women’s access to sports, an impact that’s given women strength and cultivated a generation of leaders
The diverse panel of student-athlete speakers were chosen from each women’s sports team by SCSU Athletics Department staff
The panelists were Molly Arenson (Swim & Dive), Erica Conrad (Cross Country), Paola Berna (Track & Field), Emma Gentry (Hockey), Gracie Parsons (Soccer), Lydia Krueger (Softball), Maria Molitor (Tennis) and Sam Zimmerman (Volleyball)
Cowell said the student-athlete from women’s basketball had a scheduling conflict.
As student-athletes, balancing classes, homework and practice can lead to burnout.
Gentry recommended talking to a sports psychologist and opening up to someone to avoid it; Arenson stressed the importance of finding something outside of sports that brings you joy; and Krueger highlighted keeping perspective and viewing the ability to play your sport as a privilege
When asked about what they’ve learned about leadership, Molitor said, “I’ve learned that you can lead anywhere despite your athletic ability ”
For Conrad, she said, “It’s important to speak up and advocate for yourself ”
And the biggest piece of advice they’ve learned from their mentors?
“Just have fun and enjoy the process,” said Berna
The athletes were also asked about what advice they would give to a younger version of themselves or a little girl wanting to get involved in sports.
“Fall in love with the things you get to do every day. Remember why you’re there,” said Conrad.
“Don’t be embarrassed for liking sports,” said Arenson.
“Don’t compare yourself to your teammates,” said Parsons
“People are gonna tell you you can’t Use that as motivation,” said Zimmerman
According to Cowell, they received a lot of great feedback from the panelists and “look forward to having new voices and new faces in the future ”
The SCSU Women’s Center is already organizing more events centered around women in sports, too
The next event hosted by them will be “All Women’s Sports, All the Time” on Feb. 21. That event will feature guest speaker Jillian Hiscock, the founder of the first bar in Minn. that shows exclusively women’s sports.
Reprinted with permission from https://www.kvsc.org/playing-for-her-highlights-thevoices-of-women-student-athletes-on-scsu-campus/
Highlight: Feminist Leadership
In May of 2023, the Minnesota State Legislature passed their higher education and K-12 education funding packages with additions to fund the provision of menstrual supplies in all student bathrooms Specifically pertaining to higher education, the bills passed provided, for the 2024 fiscal year, $482,000 to MinnState to implement and stock menstrual products. For the 2025 fiscal year and future years, $282,000 is allocated to MinnState as a continuous base commitment. Those amounts are distributed between all 33 campuses within the MinnState system. The requirement for this funding as interpreted by the MinnState system office is that it must be used to cover ALL bathrooms in the state system that are utilized regularly by students
The feminist leadership and advocacy done by Women’s Center students and staff for the last 10 years to get to this point in the program was crucial in getting the legislation passed and will be needed to maintain the progress as well. The Women’s Center will continue to follow implementation and progress as the program progresses and looks forward to learning more about the positive impact this will have on students as our state education system further centers the importance of student's basic needs while they pursue their career goals
Adapted from the St Cloud State Menstrual Equity Program Spring Update (April 2024) by Kara Cowell Kara, a statewide and national consultant on period poverty, provided testimony to the Minnesota State Legislature in support of this bill
Highlight: Donations
The Women’s Center seeks out and receives significant donations to support basic reproductive health care needs of students at SCSU. For example, in this fiscal year, we have received major donations of condoms, Plan B, and pregnancy tests, including:
500 Trojan™ Condoms from the Condom Collective worth approximately $100
380 Plan B doses worth approximately $25,000
576 Clear Blue pregnancy tests worth approximately $3,800
These donations, then, contributed over $28,000 in basic needs supplies we would have had to buy or not provide to students.
The Women’s Center meets these basic needs in a way that is uniquely accessible and anonymous on campus. Other programs take student’s names, personal info, and/or require education before providing these basic needs supplies, which presents additional barriers to student utilization, since students are less likely to seek support due to privacy concerns. At the Women’s Center, we support students, no questions asked.
Reproductive health education is also free, unbiased, evidence-based, and accessible.
Collaborators and Partners
The work we do here to support students and educate the community would not be possible without the help and assistance of collaborators and partners both on and off campus. Below, we recognize these champions who, in FY23, set the stage for our work as well as those who partnered with us in FY24.
Campus Partners: American Indian Center; Anthropology Department; Art Department; Athletics Department; Campus Recreation; Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning; College Democrats; Community Anti-Racism Education Initiative (CARE); Counseling & Psychological Services; Department of Campus Involvement; Department of Human Relations; Department of Social Work; Division of Student Affairs; Ethnic, Gender, & Women’s Studies Department; Healthy Huskies; Honors College; Huskies Food Pantry; Kinesiology Department; LGBT Resource Center; Multicultural Student Services; Pre-Med Club; Office for Equity & Access; PERIOD Chapter; Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC); Students for Choice; Students United Minnesota
Community Partners: Anna Marie’s Alliance; Centracare Sexual & Gender Medicine Clinic; Central Minnesota Sexual Assault Center; Central MN Child Advocacy Center; CERTS; College of Saint Benedict; College of St. Benedict's Institute for Women’s Leadership; College of St. Benedict's Queer+ Lavender Student Union; Cyclone Pride Club; League of Women Voters of St Cloud; LuMin St. Cloud; Planned Parenthood North Central States; Rainbow Wellness Collective; Re-Formation Foundation; Seal Dwyer Counseling; Saint Cloud Area Roller Derby; St. Cloud Pride; St. Cloud Public Library; St. Cloud Technical & Community College Library; St. Cloud Technical & Community College Multicultural Center; St. John’s University; The Arc Minnesota; Unite Cloud; Zonta
Left: Showing off the earrings we made with Lacey and Angie from the American Indian Center!
Above: SCAR Derby members attending Playing for Her
Email: womenscenter@stcloudstate.edu
Web site: www.stcloudstate.edu/womenscenter
Phone: (320) 308-4958
Fax: (320) 308-6408
Address:
218 Atwood Memorial Center
St. Cloud State University 720 Fourth Avenue South St. Cloud, Minnesota 56301-4498
