Our HERstory
The roots of the Women’s Center began in 1980 when Evelyn Reiman, then Assistant Director of Student Development, sponsored the first NC State Women’s Week – a series of afternoon and evening programs for campus women. Five years later, the Division of Student Affairs established the first professional staff position to support women students on campus and conduct rape prevention education. The position was held by Janet (Jan) Rogers as “Women Student Concerns Coordinator” working out of Student Health Services and sometimes meeting students in medical exam rooms.
Molly Hays Glander, a counselor at the NC State Counseling Center acknowledged a need for a Women’s Center and recognized the significance of sexual assault on our campus. Molly reached out to Evelyn to create a Sexual Assault Task Force1 in the Women’s Center. Two years later (1987), the office of Women Student Concerns moved from Student Health to the Department of Student Development, and Merry Ward joined Jan as a full time Rape Prevention Education Coordinator. That same year, the first Take Back the Night march and rally were held on campus.
In 1989, the Women’s Studies Program began with Barbara Risman as its first director. During that same year, students formed the Women’s Resource Coalition and Heloise Jones was elected as the president. Heloise began working tirelessly for recognition of the unique needs of campus women and a proposal for a Women’s Center as an independent research project through the College of Education. Heloise, along with five other students, Evelyn, and select faculty, formed a nucleus of activism for women on campus creating a Women’s Resource Coalition newsletter and distributing it to 16,000 campus women. In the following year, Heloise wrote a proposal as an independent study. This proposal became the core of the proposal she, Dr. Lynn Baker-Ward, and Dr. Sarah A. Rajala authored and submitted to the provost in 1990.
At a retreat held in the spring of 1991, student leaders were asked what they wanted to accomplish before leaving NC State. Heloise replied that she wanted to see a Women’s Center. She made it a goal. With her tenacious attitude in tow, she set an appointment to see the Provost. She met with Interim Provost Frank Hart and presented her case for a Women’s Center in the campus community. As it turned out, the College of Textiles was moving out of Nelson Hall and the industrial-like building had plenty of empty space. Most of the space was not suitable for offices or even meeting space. However, the basement (which had housed a library) made a very comfortable space.
In October of 1991, Heloise saw the fruit of her labor when the Women’s Center officially opened its doors. At the opening reception, Dr. Hart told Heloise that it was what she had said to him that caused him to put his complete support and efforts behind creating the center. That support included giving what was considered very valuable campus “real estate” for it. The first “Friend of the Women’s Center,” Becky Leonard, donated furniture, artwork, and items that made the space more comfortable and welcoming. The Molly Hays Glader hotline2 was started to provide 24/7/365 advocacy to survivors of interpersonal violence and their loved ones.
Heloise commented, “The day we opened our doors, we had meeting space, an office for Jan Rogers, carpet on the floor and women eager to create the space they craved, faculty beaming at a dream and goal realized that they’d campaigned so hard for, university administration applauding with support. All of us knew the world had changed at NC State that day.”
Today, the NC State Women’s Center continues to serve as a resource for the campus community. Our work fosters a sense of community and belonging through intentional programming and services focused on supporting student success and retention. Although we are a “Women’s Center,” we see gender on a continuum and we welcome EVERYONE to the Center.
We envision and work for a Wolfpack community that champions gender and promotes respect for all. What started small has grown to six professional staff positions including a Director, Associate Director for Interpersonal Violence Services, Assistant Director for Programs, Assistant Director for Interpersonal Violence Prevention Education and Training, Interpersonal Violence Response Coordinator, and an Administrative Support Specialist, as well as a Graduate Program Assistant, Graduate and Undergraduate Interns, Student Staff, and Peer Educators.
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1 This Sexual Assault Task Force later became known as ASAP (Alliance for Sexual Assault Prevention).
2 With the blessing of Dr. Ken Glander, the Molly Hays Glander hotline was later renamed the Sexual Assault Helpline and an on campus phone number was adopted.
Women’s Center Founders
Dr. Lynn Baker-Ward
Dr. Molly Hays Glander
Heloise Jones
Dr. Rebecca Leonard
Dr. Sarah Rajala
Evelyn Reiman
Dr. Barbara Risman
Dr. Jan Rogers
Women’s Center Directors
Dr. Jan Rogers, 1991-1993
Dr. Rhonda Sutton, 1993 (interim), 1994-1997
Merry Ward (interim), 1997
Dr. Frances Graham, 1998-2004
Laci Leggitt Weeden (interim), 2004-2005
Dr. Shannon Johnson, 2005-2010
Jennifer Castillo (interim), 2010-2011
Dr. Ashley Simons-Rudolph, 2011-2015
Lisa LaBarbera-Mascote, 2016-2021
Janine Kossen, 2021-2022 (interim), 2022-present