Help us safeguard the study of Gender and Sexuality at SCU in these critical times!
Challenge Alert: If 35 gifts are made towards the Gender and Sexuality Studies Department, an anonymous donor will make a $500 gift to the Department. Please help us unlock this challenge!
American author, poet, and activist Maya Angelou once said, “the truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free.” The work of the Santa Clara Gender and Sexuality Studies Department is more important than ever in these unprecedented times when universities across the nation are moving to dismantle gender and women’s studies departments. As a discipline we are committed to scholarship that investigates long-standing inequalities and we dedicate ourselves to coalitional struggle that acknowledges the complex intersections of multiple forms of oppression.
This year, we have experienced some meaningful changes that will positively impact our 40 majors and minors. After extensive consultation and discussion, we renamed the Women’s and Gender Studies Department, the Gender and Sexuality Studies Department; this change better reflects both the diverse scholarship of department faculty, and current curricular offerings for students. This Fall we will welcome a new tenure-track faculty member in LGBTQ+ Studies and Social Justice to the department which was part of a historic LGBTQ+ Cluster Hire in the College of Arts and Sciences. With your support, we’ve also expanded the range of internship opportunities offered to GNSX students. As you can see from the testimonials below from current and former students reflecting on their time spent in the classroom with faculty, and their experiences out in the field, a Gender and Sexuality Studies degree is truly life-changing. The seeds we are planting through our interdisciplinary field of study matter.
In an era of political polarization, legal uncertainties, and varied manifestations of hostility and exclusion, hope has become a necessary site of refuge. My work as a teacher and my collaborations with incredible colleagues and students have been critical in cultivating my sense of radical hope. As Rebecca Solnit writes, hope is “the belief that what we do matters even though how and when it may matter, who and what it may impact, are not things we can know beforehand.” We will continue to fight and crucial battles lie ahead, but we proceed together in solidarity and struggle to imagine and build a better future.
Your support of our work at this critical juncture will make a significant difference to our department and to our students.
With Gratitude,
Sharmila Lodhia
Chair and Associate Professor, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department
Gender and Sexuality Studies faculty and staff with graduating seniors!
“The Gender and Sexuality Studies department has been like a home since I started at SCU. Not only has it significantly contributed to my education and my understanding of gender and sexuality, it has also been a place of care and compassion where I feel supported every step of the way. The department is filled with thoughtful and loving people, and I can’t imagine trading that for anything else.” — Leslie Duran Hinojosa, Class of 2027
“As a student in the Gender and Sexuality Studies department, I have had the opportunity to connect with a community of empowering individuals. It has been particularly special to work within this small, close-knit department, allowing me to form personal connections with both faculty members and students. Together, we foster an environment that promotes inclusivity, meaningful dialogue, and social change—values that are more essential now than ever for our future.” — Stella Cortese, Class of 2026
"I am a strong believer that one’s education should be transformative, and what I learned in my GNSX (then, WGST) classes set a foundation for how I view and analyze the world. My professors empowered and challenged me and my peers to put theory into practice. Through this department I developed a stronger sense of self, sharpened my critical thinking skills, and became a more empathetic and curious person. This education didn’t just change me for the better– it also created a ripple effect, shaping my community in meaningful ways." — Rani Hanstad, Class of 2017
| Rank | State | Gifts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CA | 31 |
| 2 | NY | 3 |
| 3 | WA | 2 |
