Women’s Center celebrates 30 years
The Utah State University’s Women’s Center will celebrate 30 years of operation Oct. 23, and will recognize historical highlights, former advisory board members, and give tribute to the former directors of the center.
The Women’s Center started in a vacated bathroom on the third floor of the TSC back in 1974, Women’s Center Director Janet Osborne said.
“The Administration had approved of the goals of a Women’s Center, but did not have the space or funds for a center,” said Osborne.
The center evolved over the years, and moved into a new office this fall where theUtah Statesman office was previously.
This move is part of an ongoing effort by Associated Students of USU to turn the Taggart Student Center into more of a center for students than an administration building, Tagg Archibald, ASUSU executive vice president, said.
“We are here to help women get back into school,” Osborne said.
The Women’s Center has given $627,193 in scholarships to women and men who have returned to college after an extended absence, she said.
“Many times women find themselves in more of a hard financial situation as they take on new roles, like being the primary bread winner of a family after a divorce,” Osborne said. “It can be challenging for a single mother to provide financial care for her children and go to school.”
Women and men can apply for a scholarship from the Women’s Center, but they need to have a minimum of a five year gap in their education, outline their educational goals and what they plan to use the money for, explain why they want to return to school, have a minimum of a 2.5 GPA and demonstrate financial need, Osborne said
“We have a great need for a full-time support staff and more funds to support our operation,” Osborne said.
The Women’s Center now operates mostly on private donations, Osborne said, and said she is extremely grateful. Osborne is one of two full-time employees and the Women’s Center also employs one part-time secretary.
The center has held at least one activity a week on campus, and events are usually free, she said. On Oct. 6, the Women’s Center Advisory Board will partner with the Alpha Chi Omega sorority to sponsor the Dollar Days Fundraiser to support student scholarships and programs for the Women’s Center.
The Alpha Chi Omega Sorority has been donating the proceeds of its annual Dollar Days fundraiser to the Women’s Center for the last five years.
The second week of October there will be a clothesline display in which survivors, family and friends of victims of domestic violence are invited to join in “breaking the silence,” one of the first steps in trying to end the vicious cycle of abuse, she said. Those wanting to participate will have the opportunity to decorate and design a shirt to hang on a clothesline in the TSC.
USU was the first university in Utah to join the Clothesline Project National Network in 1993 to display 117 shirts designed by local victims of violence, Osborne said.
On the second Friday of every month the Women’s Center sponsors a luncheon at the Carousel Square for all reentry students, Osborne said, and on Oct. 16, the Women’s Center will be planting pink tulips at the Logan River Golf Course and the IHC Instant Care in tribute of those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer.
On Oct. 19, there will be a rededication of a site between the Animal Science and Geology buildings with special recognition being given to the women’s volleyball team who donated proceeds from their Dig For A Cure fundraiser, she said.
-joshcook@cc.usu.edu