About Gender Studies

Program Goals

The Gender Studies minor offers a transdisciplinary program for students to investigate the meaning of gender and its intersections with ability, age, class, race, ethnicity, sexuality, and cultural practices. Through this program, students analyze how gender shapes human experiences, informs the construction of knowledge, and influences power dynamics. The minor equips students with critical perspectives and skills valuable for advanced studies or careers in fields such as education, public relations, human resources, social work, law, journalism, business, non-profit management, public health, medicine, artificial intelligence, and politics.

Learning Goals

  • Apply key concepts and theoretical frameworks central to Gender Studies in critical analysis and discussion.
  • Explain the role of gender in shaping the organization of social life and institutions.
  • Analyze a range of individual and collective experiences, exploring how they both influence and are influenced by local and global power structures.
  • Examine how gender intersects with other dimensions of power, including ability, sexuality, religion, race, class, and ethnicity.
  • Explore career opportunities and advanced study pathways where the knowledge and skills from the Gender Studies minor can be applied.

History

The gender studies program in Fulbright College was founded in 1993. In 2025, Kathryn Sloan was named the director of the gender studies program. Former directors include Lisa Corrigan, professor of communication, Anna Zajicek, professor of sociology, Lynda Coon, professor of history, Susan Marren, associate professor of English, and co-Directors Marren and Dave Fredrick, associate professor of world languages, literatures and cultures. The program was the product of the organization Fulbright Women, whose leaders included faculty members and administrators Diane Blair (political science), Margaret Bolsterli (English), Elizabeth Payne (history), Judith Ricker (world languages, literatures and cultures), Mary Jo Schneider (anthropology), and Barbara Taylor (human resources).