UNC-CH Curriculum in Women's Studies

Alumnae

In an effort to create a network of Women's Studies graduates across the country and to provide a way for you to communicate easily, we have established this page on "News from Grads." Please write and let us know what you're up to. Send information to:

Department of Women's Studies,
208, Smith Building
CB#3145, UNC-CH, 27599-3135.

Or email Karen Thompson in the Women's Studies Office: kthomps1@email.unc.edu.

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Cassidy Johnson writes:

After graduating in May 2007, I moved to Santa Rosa, California to begin a year of service with Americorps. I worked for CalServes, a non-profit that focuses on raising literacy rates in Santa Rosa elementary schools. I was placed at a low performing school where I tutored students one-on-one during the school day and taught an after school class in our "Cool School" program (a literacy based after school program geared toward students who need additional support).

Working for CalServes helped me to realize that although I love working with children, I wanted to assist them outside of an educational setting. I wanted to be able to give them the skills necessary to be successful inside and outside of school.

This fall I will be starting graduate school at the University of San
Diego to earn my degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. USD is one of the few schools in California that is nationally accredited, meaning that upon graduation and the completion of the required clinical hours I will be a licensed MFT. I am really excited to move to San Diego and start school again!

Jessica Smith graduated with a double major in History and Women’s Studies in May 2008. While at UNC she completed an internship at the Family Violence Prevention Center.

On 1/12/08 Jessica writes:

I have been working as an intern in the Public Policy Department of Legal Momentum in Washington D.C. since September 2008 and will be here until the end of August 2009.
What I have learned (and am still learning) is that policy is very complicated, yet also very simple. For example, a stimulus bill to help the economy is seemingly unrelated to domestic violence. Yet within the bill there are acts and within those acts there are titles and provisions. There could be one sentence in a provision about domestic violence that can have a wide-ranging impact and help a lot of people. For example, right now we are trying to get federal Unemployment Insurance to include victims of domestic and sexual violence who have to leave their jobs because of this violence. Unemployment Insurance could be included in the bill because in a slow economy people are worried and concerned about unemployment benefits and victims of domestic violence are no different. I think of it like a spider web—complex and intricate, yet very organized and intentional.

Legal Momentum is helping me see that a lot can be accomplished through public policy. I have gone to briefings on Capitol Hill and small lobby meetings and have done research for my bosses— helping them prepare to give a speech or to argue for the reauthorization of the Violence against Women Act, which will come up in a year. I have written press releases and I am currently working on the transition letter Legal Momentum will give President-elect Obama. This letter lays out what issues Legal Momentum would like to see addressed in the new administration and the 111th Congress and suggests strategies we think will be most effective.

Update 1/17/08:
I spent all last week on the Hill dropping off information for Legislative staffers about what my organization wants to get in the stimulus bill in order to help women. I also was at a meeting with my boss and the Legislative Director in Congressman's Becerra's office about what we want to see happen in this Congress. It's all very exciting, and I just wanted to thank the Curriculum in Women's Studies for helping me find my niche.

I have never been happier.

Rekha Chandrabose writes from Medical School at UNC:
Med school is mostly fabulous, although a more conservative environment than what I was used to in my work in the non-profit sector! I am happy to serve as a contact for any undergrad women's studies major who is also interested in medicine. We need all the good people we can get. My recent activities include serving as a Class Advocate, which is something of a Peer counseling program at the med school, coordinating MSFC, and acting as a representative to the faculty and admin. re: the curriculum of the medical school in general. I spent the summer in Kenya on an international fellowship sponsored by medical students for choice (MSFC) learning about the experience of abortion there, which was amazing. Abortion is illegal in Kenya, so it was a different perspective than what we have here. (Although the Bush-Ashcroft team my change that.) I am also active in the gay/lesbian/transgendered/allies group at the med school.

On a personal note, I am married (2 years) and we live in N. Chatham county with our 140 lb. St. Bernard mix dog whom we rescued from the animal shelter in 1999.

Kelsey Beck sends greetings from California:
I am currently living in Carlsbad, CA about 40 min. north of San Diego on the coast, and working at a domestic violence center called The Women's Resource Center.

Adria Mueller writes:
My life's path has been greatly influenced by my involvement with the Women's Studies department as well as the History department (my other major) during my time at UNC. It is nice to see that the Women's Studies department strives to share its knowledge with others and involve other departments within the university, as well as people from the community and other schools and businesses.

After graduation I spent the entire summer in South Africa through a program called Operation Crossroads Africa, which I found out about through Prof. Roberta Dunbar in the African Studies department. Operation Crossroads was actually the progenitor of the Peace Corps. In South Africa I worked on rural development projects doing manual labor such as fence constructing and brush clearing and burning. For a number of weeks I lived in a Zulu hut, called a rondeval, with no electricity or running water (quite an experience). I also had the opportunity to visit several wildlife reserves, attend some programs associated with the International AIDS Conference held in Durban, attend a soccer game, and (strangely enough) I met the American actor Danny Glover who does quite a bit of activism in South Africa.

While in South Africa my group worked under an umbrella association called the Philisisize Association for Development (PAD), started by a black South African woman named Thabi Shange. PAD works to help organize smaller women's groups throughout Kwa-Zulu Natal. PAD helps these women learn how to raise income, save money, learn about health issues, and childcare.

Being in South Africa was incredible. The beauty of the land and people is astounding. I hope to go back to visit many of my new friends there soon. I still remain in contact with the members of PAD via email.

Shifting gears, upon my return I moved to the Washington, DC area to begin my job search. I figured DC would be a good place for me, especially considering the fact that the Peace Corps and grad school remain high on my priority list of future plans. DC has good schools, a Peace Corps headquarters and many job opportunities. So, her I am!

I am currently doing temp work to pay the bills but am also helping out a new business called The Development Market Space. They hope to match businesses, looking for ways to donate money to people in need, with NGOs while cutting out a lot of the usual unorganized red tape/bureaucracy. It is exciting to be a part of this project because I am getting to use my newfound knowledge of South Africa and put it to good use toward a good cause.

All in all I'd say I am doing pretty darn well at the moment (except for my frustrations with the DC traffic). I love your idea about creating a network of Women's Studies graduates. If there is any way that I can help out please let me know.

Stefanie Conrad writes:
After graduating in August 1998 I worked as a temporary administrative assistant for Tarheel Temps, a placement agency that serves the UNC-CH community. From January 1999 until August 1999 I worked as a habilitation technician for people with developmental disabilities at Annas Resources, Inc. in Chapel Hill. I facilitated my clients' inclusion in the community and supported the development of their independent living and/or self-care skills. Throughout that period I held other part-time jobs as a waitress, a childcare provider, and a customer service representative. In September 2000 I moved to Richmond, Virginia, and started temping once again. In January 2001 I joined the temporary staff pool at the University of Richmond and was hired as a full-time employee, almost a year later, in December. I am now the administrative assistant for scholarship programming in the university's undergraduate admission office. Currently I am applying for the Master of Liberal Arts program at the University of Richmond and hope to be admitted this fall.

Bethany Bedsole, UNC ‘06

I provided ABA therapy through a health services firm in Tacoma, Washington for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. When considering my job, I'm grateful for the Women's Studies courses offered at UNC, because they've made me more sensitive to how notions of gender overshadow treatment and stereotype pervasive developmental disorders. Additionally, the curriculum has helped me beyond the career field. I feel very strongly that it has prepared me to understand the historical, philosophical, and spiritual underpinnings of my experiences as a woman—thus, personally enriching my life.

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