Since 1987, when Congress passed Public Law 100-9 designating March as Women’s History Month, we have spent these weeks that span winter and spring to highlight the critical role of American women in all aspects of society. At Rutgers University, we are proud to honor the rich legacy of this vital part of our community—as well as all the people in our beloved community—every day of the year.
Being part of a community means actively engaging the unique perspectives of our many members on their terms and through their voices. The following programs, resources, and involvement opportunities represent only a portion of what Rutgers has to offer and are not an exhaustive list. They are all part of the university’s commitment to help students, alumni, faculty, staff, and partners work together to embody, reflect, and respect the complexities of all our parts.
Stay Informed
Find out how Rutgers’ faculty, students, and publications advance knowledge and give a voice to issues that impact the community.
Essays: Reflections on Women’s History Month
Members of the Rutgers faculty and community share their thoughts on the contributions of women in the past and present and how to support them in the future. These essays highlight the recent lessons learned from the pandemic about women in the workforce, gender parity in politics, resurrected stories of female phenoms (such as Albert Einstein’s wife and co-researcher, physicist Mileva Marić), and more.
Transcripts: Women’s Leadership Interview Archives
This interview collection comprises written transcripts of interviews with outstanding female leaders conducted by students in the Leadership Scholars Certificate Program of the Rutgers Institute for Women’s Leadership, beginning in the fall of 1999. The interviews cover work and family issues; definitions of leadership; the ways that race, class, and gender influence access to and exercise of leadership; and generational issues in leadership.
Videos: Stories of Transformation
At its core, feminist leadership is about transformation. These student-produced videos capture firsthand stories of individual and collective social change. Interviewees in the videos include Billie Jean King, Faith Ringgold, Cheryl Clarke, and Alison Bechdel.
Videos: Lecture and Dialogues
The Rutgers Institute for Women’s Leadership engages innovative thinkers and accomplished leaders in conversations about their work for social change. Topics include resilience, refugee women, human rights defenders, and tech work, as well as interviews with Gloria Steinem, filmmaker Rayka Zehtabchi, and more.
Podcast: Mnemosyne
Mnemosyne is the Greek goddess of memory, who reminds us of the importance of sharing stories. The Rutgers podcast by the same name is a space for feminist storytelling, where the Institute for Research on Women shares conversations about feminist work and research across disciplines. Recent topics include “The Racial Muslim” and “Anti-Racist Pedagogy Practices.”
Certificate Program: Leadership Development for Early Career Women
The Leadership Development for Early Career Women certificate program, presented by the Center for Women and Work at Rutgers’ School of Management and Labor Relations, is tailored to fit the specific needs of respective companies and industries. The customizable four-module program has been implemented by Bristol Myers Squibb, Panasonic, E*Trade, and others.
Attend an Event
Learn about events available to Rutgers alumni and register for those that speak to your personal and professional interests.
Now through April 8
Museum Exhibition: Passages: 8 Women Painters
Noreen Scott Garrity, artist-curator and associate director for education at Rutgers–Camden’s Center for the Arts, brings together work from eight women painters with whom she attended painting programs in the 1980s. Artists included in the exhibition are Lisa A. Bartolozzi, Elisabeth Condon, Peg Curtin, Diane Crossan Lawler, Helen O’Leary, Helen O’Toole, and Bibiana Suarez.
Tuesday, March 22 (noon–1 p.m.)
Zoom Panel: Rutgers Alumnae at the Helm: A Conversation on Women in Sports Leadership
The Rutgers University Alumni Association presents a panel of extraordinary Rutgers alumnae from across the nation who will discuss leadership in the business of sports and preparing the next generation of leaders. Speakers include alumnae in chief operating officer, president, and general counsel positions, as well as sideline reporters and more.
Wednesday, March 30 (2:30–3:30 p.m.)
Webinar: Rutgers–Newark Campus Trailblazers: 75 Years of Celebration
This year’s theme, Campus Trailblazers: 75 Years of Celebration, will highlight the contributions of women throughout Rutgers–Newark’s history. The event will celebrate achievements by women at RU–N; include a keynote talk with former vice chancellor Marcia Brown; acknowledge the contributions of this year’s honorees; and look to the future with student panelists and performers.
In-Person Lecture Series: Institute for Research on Women
The Institute for Research on Women is a small Rutgers unit with a global scope dedicated to fostering interdisciplinary feminist scholarship, activism, and community. Programming includes a weekly seminar for faculty and graduate students, a lecture series, and an undergraduate learning community tied to an annual theme.
The institute also runs the Rutgers Public Engagement Project, develops publications (including a book series and the online journal Rejoinder), supports working groups, and hosts visiting scholars from around the world. The following are the final three lectures in this year’s lecture series, whose theme is “Futures.” All will be held at the Ruth Dill Johnson Crockett Building at Rutgers–New Brunswick.
- The Future of Race, Thursday, March 24 (4:30–6 p.m.)
Professor Michelle Stephens, executive director of the Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice and professor of English and Latino and Caribbean studies, will discuss the future of race.
- Imagined Futures, Thursday, April 7 (4:30–6 p.m.)
Artist Saya Woolfalk will talk about imagined futures. Woolfalk is a New York-based artist who uses science fiction and fantasy to reimagine the world in multiple dimensions.
- The Future of Health, Thursday, April 21 (4:30–6 p.m.)
Steven Epstein, a sociology professor at Northwestern University, will discuss the future of health.
Get Involved
Connect with Rutgers alumni, expand your social and professional networks, or offer advice to students by getting involved with an alumni group that is meaningful to you.
Mentoring: WINGS Mentoring Program
Cosponsored by the Institute for Women’s Leadership and the Center for Women and Work, Women Investing in and Guiding Students (WINGS) links selected undergraduate Rutgers women with successful professionals.
Mentoring: Alison R. Bernstein Media Mentoring Program
The Alison R. Bernstein Media Mentoring Program program addresses the underrepresentation of women in leadership, production, and creative roles across all media and information technology platforms. Linking recent Rutgers alumnae with accomplished women in media, the program enables promising women in the early stages of their careers to learn from experienced professionals in the field.
Networking: Community for Women (Student-Alumni Career Connect)
Rutgers’ Student-Alumni Career Connect brings together members of the Rutgers community in a virtual space for networking, job opportunities, and meaningful discussions. Alumni can share career advice with current students; recruit students for jobs, projects, or internships; seek out fellow alumni for assistance with professional projects; and expand their networks. You will also find industry resources, workshops, events, and advisers to help you meet your personal career goals.
Networking: Institute for Women’s Leadership at Rutgers (LinkedIn Group)
As a consortium of 10 units dedicated to education, research, and public service, the Institute for Women’s Leadership at Rutgers–New Brunswick is dedicated to the study of women and gender, to advocacy on behalf of gender equity, and to the promotion of women’s leadership locally, nationally, and globally.
Networking: Rutgers Alumnae Women’s Professional Network
This network sponsors and supports programs and events designed to connect Rutgers alumnae and encourage their professional growth and development while creating a stronger bond with Rutgers University.
Networking: Rutgers Center for Women and Business (LinkedIn Group)
Through education, opportunities, and thought leadership, the Rutgers Center for Women in Business removes barriers, builds community, and empowers women with the confidence and skills necessary to succeed as business leaders. The center works with companies and organizations to develop women leaders for tomorrow’s evolving workforce.
Networking: Rutgers Law Alumnae Network (LinkedIn Group)
The network is dedicated to supporting the alumnae of Rutgers Law School and current students.
Training programs: Center for American Women and Politics
The Center for American Women and Politics, a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, is dedicated to promoting greater knowledge and understanding about the role of women in American politics, enhancing women’s influence in public life, and expanding the diversity of women in politics and government. Programs include:
- Teach a Girl to Lead: Designed for educators, youth-serving organizations and media outlets, and parents, this program aims to inspire girls and young women to follow in the footsteps of women leaders.
- Ready to Run: This nonpartisan training program encourages women to run for office.
Support a Fund
Connect with the causes and communities at Rutgers you care about most by supporting the advancement of research, access, and awareness. You can search for any fund you would like to support and make a gift to make an impact. Here are just a few you’ll find on the donor web page:
- Institute for Women’s Leadership Support Fund
- Advancing Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Support Fund
- Center for American Women and Politics NEW Leadership Program
This resource guide is part of the Diversity Matters Series, which seeks to openly explore different perspectives by thoughtfully recognizing the beauty of individual differences as honored through a collective experience rooted in acknowledgement, understanding, and celebration.
