Women's Studies

Mission Statement

The Women's Studies Program at Nazareth College provides an intellectual community for students, faculty and staff to honor the multiple-layered struggles and contributions of women throughout history; to address critical issues raised by scholarship on women and gender issues; to foster awareness of global feminist perspectives; and to promote vigorously the belief that women’s and gender concerns are important to all people.

Academic Goals

The academic purposes of the Women's Studies Program are:

to offer a cross-disciplinary academic program that is relevant for all Nazareth students.
to develop critical thinking skills and a greater understanding of the ways in which gender power, privilege and oppression affects the lives, choices and rights of women.
to foster a greater appreciation of how social justice is a crucial element of academic, professional and socio-political pursuits.

Campus Community Goals

The purposes of the Women’s Studies Program for the campus community are:

to organize and support events and activities that are open to all members of the Nazareth College community.
to raise awareness of women's rights through advocacy and social and political action.
to increase the visibility of women-centered speakers, community service activities and performances.
to actively partner with other programs, departments and groups in order to develop campus events that reflect and honor the perspectives of women.

Program Objectives

To support the aforementioned academic and campus-community goals, the program objectives are:

to strengthen cross disciplinary, scholarly and creative activities, including courses and events that make clear that gender identity is central to human identity.
to encourage collaborative student and faculty research that fosters student development and deconstructs traditional pedagogical paradigms.
to provide a safe space for critical reflection on the interplay between students' own lives, scholarly issues, politics and the world at large.
to support all students at Nazareth College, especially women and members of other marginalized groups, to reach their full academic, personal and professional potential.
to advocate for a campus climate that is supportive to all.