Minor in Women and Gender Studies

Horizon Miguel, 2018

Meet one of our students minoring in Women and Gender Studies, Horizon Miguel. Horizon will be graduating with a Dance major and a minor in Women and Gender Studies this May.  

What is your major?

Dance!

How did you decide on minoring in Women and Gender Studies?

Throughout my high school years, I discovered that my interests tend to lie at the crossroads of race, gender, and sexuality in popular culture and dance. This passion led me to choose GMU with the desire to learn and do research on the concept of intersectionality. Eventually, I decided that minoring in Women and Gender Studies was the best way to fulfill my interests. 

What have you learned that has really surprised you/changed your perspective?

I learned that I value representation of historically marginalized identities in academic and artistic settings. I have been surprised and amazed by the beautiful discoveries, creations, and realizations that have come out of providing people, who are less privileged, a platform to let their voice be heard. This has changed my perspective on how I approach dance, choreography and daily life.

Tell us about your dream job. How has courses in Women and Gender Studies helped further your plans?

My dream job is to be a professor in a collegiate Dance program teaching multiple styles of dance along with teaching courses in a Women and Gender Studies program. I would also like to create special topic courses about intersectionality in dance and/or popular culture. However, this will be after I fulfill a professional dance career being in a contemporary dance company and backup dancing in music videos, award shows, and music tours for multiple musical artists internationally. 

The courses in Women and Gender Studies I have taken helped me understand how to incorporate and elevate the voices of historically marginalized identities in art. I have learned how to acknowledge my own intersectional identities while respecting and honoring people who possess other identities. All of the Women and Gender Studies professors I have learned from have been excellent examples of how to teach effectively too. I plan to take all of these experiences with me when I graduate.

Please share any internships, jobs, or volunteer experiences that you have taken part in.

I have served as the Events Organizer of Pride Alliance for two years, volunteered at Washington DC’s Pride Festival for GMU’s Women and Gender Studies program, LGBTQ+ Resources, and Pride Alliance many times. I am also a LGBTQ+ Safe Zone Ally. I currently work under Mason Recreation as well.

Please share any accomplishments or opportunities that you are proud of.

I collaborated with Rolando Flores to make one of the first LGBTQ+ People of Color panels for Pride Week in 2016. I have also presented my choreography in GMU's 4th Annual Women & Gender Studies conference: “Politics of Gender and Justice: The Intersection of Identity and Disciplines.” Thanks to Valencia King. 

Tell us something people would be surprised to know about you.

I am currently taking Korean language/culture courses with the goal to dance in a professional South Korean contemporary dance company, behind KPop idols, and/or teach/choreograph dance in South Korea for part of my dance career.

 

Horizon can be contacted by email at: hlogan@gmu.edu

Women and Gender Studies wishes Horizon a wonderful journey after graduation this May.

 

You can learn more about the minor in Women and Gender Studies here. 

Did you know we have a major now in the Women and Gender Studies? 

You can learn more about the major here or email undergraduate advisors: Misty Krell (mkrell@gmu.edu) and Nancy Xiong (nxiong@gmu.edu).