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Gender, Power, and Possibility

Kat Reichert, CLA Public Information Office
September 15, 2025
cla-pio@alaska.edu

At UAF, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) has become one of the campus’s most vibrant academic homes. What began as a small but committed program has, in just a few years, transformed into a thriving hub of ideas, conversation, and community. Students often describe their classes as eye-opening and deeply relevant, and their enthusiasm shows: under the leadership of Assistant Professor of Political Science–Public Law and attorney Carol J. Gray, the number of students minoring in WGSS has nearly tripled.

Carol explains why this surge matters: “The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Program is a thriving and supportive community for women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people of color, and any faculty, students, and staff who care about diversity, equity, and inclusion for all groups. At this critical time in history, we stand in solidarity with Alaska Native and Indigenous peoples, immigrants, and others whose rights and opportunities are under threat, realizing, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said in 1963 in his Letter from a Birmingham jail, that ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’”

The WGSS minor is open to students from every discipline, reflecting its commitment to connecting theory with lived experience. Students in sciences, arts, social sciences, and professional programs alike enroll in its classes, exploring how gender, sexuality, race, law, and policy intersect with their chosen fields. This interdisciplinary reach, combined with a national climate where questions of equal rights and freedoms are in the headlines, has helped drive record participation. Instead of siloed coursework, students find a forum where ideas from multiple fields overlap, equipping them to engage with complex social issues wherever they go next.

Carol has been especially intentional about making WGSS a space where students can see its relevance beyond the classroom. Each month she hosts a program meeting featuring a guest speaker and home-baked brownies, underscoring her belief that breaking bread (or chocolate) builds connections. These events bring in voices from across the university, giving students a firsthand look at how gender analysis appears in different disciplines. In one recent talk, Assistant Professor of Spanish Caroline Colquhoun examined hidden and visible identities and intimacies in Equatorial Guinea under the title Existence as Resistance. Mary Ludwig, Assistant Professor of History, presented Love over Law, exploring Indigenous resistance to outside policing of intimate relationships on the Colorado River Indian Reservation. Victoria McDermott, Assistant Professor of Communication, took students behind the scenes of How Gendered Power is Communicated, highlighting critical research and methods in communication studies.

That same spirit of interdisciplinarity carries into this fall’s lineup. In October, William Favell, a former USAID professional who worked in Ghana on peacebuilding initiatives involving women, will speak at the WGSS monthly meeting about the pivotal role of women in preventing conflict. Favell’s projects were abruptly cut when the Trump Administration closed all USAID programming he had been working on, offering a sobering case study in how policy shifts affect communities on the ground. His talk is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1:00–2:30 p.m., in Gruening 503H or via Zoom. In November, Ingrid Johnson of the UAF Justice Department will present The Impact of Abortion Restrictions on Violence Against Women, a timely exploration of reproductive policy’s ripple effects. Her session takes place Wednesday, Nov. 5, 3:30–5:00 p.m., Gruening 503H or via Zoom.

After years of innovative programming and monthly speakers, the program’s energy is also reflected in the people who teach within it. With her passionate teaching and unflagging commitment to students, Kayt Sunwood has become one of the WGSS program’s most enduring forces. This spring she was honored with the President’s Adjunct Award, a testament to the vitality she brings to the classroom and to the program’s expanding reach. Her work exemplifies how faculty dedication can transform a program into a campus-wide touchstone.

Students are leading the charge too. SAGE (Society of Advocacy for Gender Equality), a student-run club under the WGSS umbrella, launched just over a year ago with a handful of members. This fall’s first meeting drew 27 attendees, reflecting a groundswell of student interest in gender advocacy and education. With CLA PIO and former WGSS minor Sarah Manriquez serving as advisor, SAGE has quickly become a hub for action. The club’s mission states: “It is the mission of the Sage UAF Club to educate, support, and advocate for UA students, on all topics relating to gender equality, including but not limited to, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, welfare, intersectionality, and the promotion of diversity in the pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable campus environment. We shall strive to foster a supportive community that engages in meaningful dialogue, promotes awareness, provides safe spaces, and advocates for egalitarian practices across all sectors.”

Last year, SAGE hosted Chalk the Walk for Suicide Awareness Month, transforming campus walkways with positive messages and resources for mental health support. They also organized a winter coat drive, ensuring those facing hardship in the community had access to warm clothing before Alaska’s coldest months. Their efforts earned them $1,000 from ASUAF to create a Year-in-Review zine chronicling the initiatives of both SAGE and WGSS in students’ own words and images. As Manriquez puts it, “I was thrilled to see the creation of SAGE. Student clubs are really special places for students to thrive and pursue passions of interest. I am so proud of their $1000 award from ASUAF in the spring and can’t wait to see where they go with their zine.”

The program and the club share an open-door ethos. Monthly WGSS meetings and SAGE activities welcome all students, staff, and faculty, whether they’re pursuing a minor or simply curious. Contacts for more information: SAGE President Natalie Custer; SAGE Vice President Jay Pierre; WGSS Carol J. Gray.

In an era when many students seek both rigorous learning and real-world impact, WGSS offers both. Through coursework, speakers, and student-led initiatives, participants develop skills and perspectives they carry into careers, community engagement, and public life. And yes—if you stop by a monthly meeting, there’s a good chance you’ll leave not just inspired, but with one of Carol’s legendary brownies in hand.