By: Heather D. Shea, PhD, W*SS Director
Phew! We made it to finals week! Since this is our last TOTD of the year (we’ll be pausing Zine publication until we resume classes in the spring), I thought I’d take a moment to recap the incredible semester we’ve had in Women*s Student Services at Michigan State University. In short, I am so proud to work alongside the incredible team of undergraduate and graduate student staff and our new program coordinator, Sharron. The success we’ve achieved is because of our mutual strengths and embracing feminist principles of leadership. Here’s a recap!
August: Welcome to the Feminists in the House
Kicking off the semester, W*SS brought the house down with fall welcome events that were nothing short of a feminist festival! COGS fair, Sparticipation, and Spartan Remix set the tone, creating spaces for Spartans to connect, engage, and learn about all that our office has to offer. Welcoming new faces to the squad, W*SS onboarded a dynamic group of undergraduate and graduate student staff, creating a community that blends fresh perspectives with the wisdom of returners. FEMfest rocked the MSU Union during the first week of classes, turning the ballroom into a hub for celebrating feminism in the arts. And let's not forget those "This is what a feminist* looks like" tees – a fashion statement with a powerful message! We had to order another batch to meet demand!
September: WILD About Emotional Intelligence
September saw W*SS diving deep into emotional intelligence with the WILD Leadership Workshop series, powered by the book "Emotionally Intelligent Leadership." We built a community of engaged student leaders and worked on plans for our WILD Conference to come later in the semester. Oh, and major kudos to MSU for adding free menstrual hygiene products campus-wide – a victory for student activism that deserves a big hooray!
October: Welcoming Sharron and Getting Crafty
In October, we introduced Sharron Reed-Davis, our new program coordinator extraordinaire, to the W*SS fam. We continued WILD Leadership Workshops and our programming turned artsy with two Crafternoons, where we unleashed our creativity through zine making and tote bag painting. We were proud to collaborate with ARC, and other groups to conjure up the Halloween SpooktARCular at the MSU Union, We also hosted a mystical Tarot Card Reading event, making October a month of feminist fun and exploration.
November: Breaking Barriers and Boss Moves
W*SS made major strides in November, joining with several offices offering FREE PlanB One-Step, safer sex supplies, and menstrual hygiene products. The relaunch of StartSmart Salary Negotiation Workshops, a collab with the Career Services Network, ensured Spartans were ready to navigate job offers and salary negotiation. The 5th WILD Conference “We Are Not Alone: Validate, Rejuvenate, Liberate” was an incredible day filled with educational workshop sessions. We were thrilled to partner with OCAT and the GSCC to provide over 80 November Break Foodie Care Packages to students, showing the power of community care.
December: Wrapping Up with Heart and Giving
Our Giving Tuesday fundraising initiatives are actively generating vital funds for both WILD and the empowHER leadership retreat (donations are still open!). As the semester wrapped up, W*SS teamed up with the Veterans Student Resource Center for "Finals Fills & Feels," offering free massages, crafts, and snacks during crunch time. And talk about spreading cheer – W*SS launched "Winter Break Care Packages" in collaboration with the Student Parent Resource Center, RHA, Neighborhood Student Success Center (NSSC), Spartan Food Security Council, and International Programs, ensuring Spartans headed into the break with warmth and care.
As we wrap up fall '23, I am so proud of the incredible team of undergraduate and graduate student staff and our new program coordinator, Sharron! We accomplished so much— truly a feminist triumph at MSU. Here's to breaking barriers, embracing empowerment, and carrying the feminist torch into the next semester! 🌟💪✨