Ways To Get Involved

Getting Involved

There are many opportunities for you to volunteer. Our volunteers have the opportunity to work in a supportive feminist environment that emphasizes the development of your interests and skills, and utilizes your talents. The Margaret Sloss Women's Center (MSWC) believes your involvement should be valuable and rewarding for you. Participating in one of the many events, lectures and programs we coordinate throughout the year is another great way to get involved. Access our online events calendar via Google Calendar.

Organizations, Committees and Campaigns

The Margaret Sloss Women's Center advises many student organizations on campus. You can share your skills, talents, and time by getting involved in one of these organizations. Contact the club or organization leadership or the Director of the Women's Center for more information.

Advisory Board, Margaret Sloss Women's Center [More Information]
The MSWC Advisory Board was created as a way to enable and encourage participation of students, staff, and faculty in the process of achieving our mission. The Advisory Board

Provides advice, perspective, insight and guidance to the Director of the MSWC
Participates in and supports Women's Center Activities
Gives feedback and advice by attending and participating in two meetings each semester, actively involved in one of three subcommittees, and responds to e-mail
Collaborates and communicates with other women's programs to provide programming for the campus community

Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October)
The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) program is dedicated to increasing awareness about the importance of the early detection of breast cancer through a nationwide campaign. NBCAM started as a weeklong campaign in 1985 with 2 founding members. During October, which is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the members of the campus and surrounding community join forces to spread the message that early detection of breast cancer followed by prompt treatment saves lives. Collaborative meetings begin in early fall semester. Would you like to get involved? please email us at womenctr@iastate.edu.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October)
Collaborative meetings begin in early fall semester. Would you like to get involved? please email us at womenctr@iastate.edu.

Clothesline Project (April)
The Clothesline Project is a visual display of t-shirts addressing the issue of violence against women. T-shirts have been designed by survivors of violence and families/friends of victims of violence. The project focuses on providing healing for survivors of violence, educating the public about issues of violence, and encouraging individual action to prevent violence. This visual representation takes place during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Faculty Women's Network
The Faculty Women's Network (FWN) is an organization dedicated to establishing collegiality among faculty women and indeed among all University faculty members. To obtain this goal, FWN presents programs of interest for faculty women, forums for open discussion, and informal mentoring opportunities. Meetings are held at least once a month at varying times as to accommodate as many faculty members as possible. All people who support gender equity are welcome to attend the FWN. If you would like to receive additional information about the FWN, please email us at womenctr@iastate.edu.

Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance [More Information]
Enhance the feminist community on campus. We will study and take action on national, campus and local feminist issues and concerns through inclusive programming.

Gender Justice [More Information]
UST 160: Gender Justice (GJ) was created and is coordinated by the Margaret Sloss Women's Center. The course fulfills one (1) credit of students' U.S. diversity three credit requirement. The purpose of GJ is for students to receive practical and purposeful knowledge, grounded in research and theory that can be used to develop their own interpersonal and intrapersonal communication abilities and effect social change.

got ignorance? Campaign Network [More Information]
The got ignorance? Campaign Network is an effort to raise awareness about and address acts of discrimination, violence, and injustice motivated by hatred, intolerance, and ignorance that occur on college campuses nationwide. Our message targets "acts of ignorance" aimed at race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical condition, political affiliation, religious beliefs, personal opinion, or any other affiliation that would prompt such acts.

Graduate Women's Network
The Graduate Women's Network (GWN) is an informal meeting group for women graduate students for personal and professional networking opportunities since its establishment in 2007. The group has three goals:

to provide a space for graduate and professional school women students to network with other women students outside of their departments and schools as well as professors, administrators, and community members

to sponsor programs that will teach graduate and professional school women student skills that will help them succeed in their educational and professional careers

to provide a forum for discussion of campus and community issues

If you would like to receive additional information about the GWN, please email us at womenctr@iastate.edu.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April) [More Information]
Collaborative meetings begin in late fall semester. This is an opportunity to highlight the efforts of individuals and agencies that provide rape crisis intervention and prevention services while offering support to sexual assault survivors, victims and their families. This Margaret Sloss Women's Center committee works in collaboration with Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support (ACCESS), YWCA Ames-ISU, Story County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), Women's Studies Program, Catt Center for Women and Politics, Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC), The Office of Greek Affairs, Students 2 Students (S2S), Student Union Board, VEISHEA, Thielen Student Health Services, ISU Police Division, Ames Police Department, Government of the Student Body, The Maintenance Shop, and The Workspace.

Sexual Assault Task Force (SATF) [More Information]
Ceated to provide a coalition for individuals and agencies committed to preventing sexual assault on campus. SATF strives to eliminate sexual assault and to improve the campus and community climate. SATF strives to achieve this mission through the following goals:

Providing a unified structure that assumes a leadership role in responding to sexual assault issues at Iowa State University
Increasing knowledge and awareness of sexual assault issues and resources
Reviewing policies and practices regarding sexual assault at Iowa State University and make recommendations as a committee for changes when necessary

Take Back the Night (April)
Take Back the Night is an internationally recognized event with rich history, occurring worldwide since the 1970's. The annual Take Back the Night rally and march at Iowa State University is organized with the purpose of unifying women, men, and children in an awareness of violence against women, children and families. This collaborative event is a part of the Sexual Assault Awareness Month committee.

The Vagina Monologues (Spring Semester) [More Information]
V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler's award winning play "The Vagina Monologues." In 2006, more than 2700 V-Day events in 1150 communities and colleges took place in the U.S. and around the world. To date, V-Day has raised over $35 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it. Funds from Iowa State University's V-Day event will be donated to Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support (ACCESS).

Vagina Warriors [More Information]
The Vagina Warriors will lead the coordination of ISU's production of The Vagina Monologues. VW will also work throughout the year to increase the awareness across campus about the violence against women and promote "Vagina Warrior" recruitment.

Week Without Violence (October)
Imagine a week without violence. Imagine women walking the streets at night without fear. Imagine police officers not needing to use guns. Imagine domestic violence, rape and female genital mutilation as faded memories of a long gone era. The YWCA Week Without Violence is an annual worldwide campaign that takes place in the third week of October to encourage communities to think and act towards a world without violence. Collaborative meetings with YWCA Ames-ISU, ISU PD, and other campus/community partners begin in early fall semester. Would you like to get involved? please email us at womenctr@iastate.edu.

Women's History Month (March)
Recognize and celebrate the diverse and historic accomplishments of women through events, lectures, and educational information. Collaborative meetings begin in mid fall semester. Would you like to get involved? please email us at womenctr@iastate.edu.

Design Internship

Terms of Employment: Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters--10 hours/week

Compensation: Experience, Academic Credit

Duties:

Designing and producing a calendar of events
Designing and producing fliers as needed
Creating and posting occasional signs outside
Attending some staff and board meetings
Giving suggestions for improving publicity (i.e. creating a positive and inclusive image, reaching more students and staff)
Creating Open House invitations (fall and spring)
Creating Invitations to end-of-year celebration
Creating Women In Touch Series publicity
Updating Design Intern notebook at end of each semester; include samples of all work
Other projects as needed

Qualifications:

Required: Skilled in Microsoft Word and Adobe Pagemaker.
Preferred: Interest and involvement in women's issues.
Conditions of Employment: The intern is expected to support the Women's Center's purpose, complete training, use non-sexist guidelines, maintain office hours, and conduct her or his work in a professional manner.

Journalism Internship

Description: Coordinating and maintaining effective and positive publicity about the Women's Center for students, staff and faculty.