On May 13, Women and Gender Studies held a graduation celebration and reception to honor our graduates earning a minor in Women and Gender Studies, a MAIS degree with a concentration in Women and Gender Studies, or a graduate certificate in Women and Gender Studies. More than fifty people joined us to honor celebrate the achievements of our students including parents, administrators, faculty, staff, alumni, and other students in our program. This year, we were able to honor 15 minors, 2 MAIS graduates, and 4 certificate students.
The event had the dual purpose of also celebrating an incredible woman and professor in our program, our Director, Suzanne Scott who is finishing her term as director and will be returning full time to her position in New Century College. Suzanne has been a staple to the program and an inspiration to so many of us. As much as we are sad to see her go, we are just as excited and encouraging of her new endeavor, and wish her the best of luck.
The 2012-2013 school year marked incredible achievements, both professionally and academically for our students. To recognize those accomplishments, we gave out several awards. We were pleased to honor 2 undergraduates who took home the Academic Excellence Award. This award is given to students minoring in WGST who achieved the highest GPAs for their graduating class. Those awards went to Mabinty Quarshie, who had the highest GPA in WGST history with a 4.0, and Leslie Temple, who had the highest cumulative GPA recorded by a WGST minor with a 3.95.
The Outstanding Achievement Award is given to students who have achieved academic excellence and who have also made substantive contributions to Women and Gender Studies through their work on campus and in the community. This award was given to Mabinty Quarshie, who served as president of the Feminist Student Organization for two years, organized the first slut walk on campus, and contributed significantly to Take Back the Night. Mabinty has been working at the Women and Gender Studies Center for all 4 of her years at Mason, and we are pleased to honor her accomplishments.
The last awards that were given out were to undergraduate students who have consistently demonstrated feminist leadership and served as a positive role model on campus and in the community. This year, the Feminist Leadership Award was given to two remarkable students, A-Jay Sorrell and Leslie Temple. A-Jay has been with the WGST Center since his first year as well, and has actively been involved in connecting WGST and LGBTQ resources through projects like TQ Mason and Photovoice. TQ Mason helps educate and provides a safe space for trans-individuals on campus and provides programming for students as well as the broader community regarding trans* issues and gender identity. Leslie joined the WGST community in her senior year, but made a significant impact on our community. During her final project in one of her classes, she created a 2-poster set that used Disney characters to raise awareness about the early warning signs of intimate partner violence. The success of these posters has led her to display them at a research event, and if all goes well, will be hung in residence halls and offices around campus.
May 16, 2013
