Women's Resource Center offers safe haven, education

By Annie Fagundes

The Women’s Resource Center was established at Fresno State in 1991 to enhance the learning and working experiences of women in the university community.

There are a variety of campus activities that provide a supportive environment for women to interact and discover themselves through other women in similar situations.

The center provides service for all women affiliated with the university, including students, staff, faculty and administrators. Although this is an organization dedicated to women, men are highly encouraged to participate in the center’s activities for the purpose of supporting the WRC’s organizational goals and promoting among their male peers the recognition of sexism, racism and other forms of discrimination against women.

The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) is across from the Madden Library, in Cafeteria-West Room 127. The center is located in the same building as Disabled Student Services and Re-entry Services, near parking lot D. The WRC serves as a safe and friendly place for students to come for a variety of reasons.

The center offers support and discussion groups primarily devoted to women’s issues. The groups focus their attention on current issues and events, including single parents, body image, sexual abuse and domestic violence. The WRC will assist in the development of these self-help groups for women who wish to meet together for mutual support and problem solving.

Many support groups also use the Women’s Resource Center to meet. Sista to Sista—a black women’s discussion group—Women’s Support Group and La Leche League—a mother to mother support group—all use the center.

Crisis counseling is offered, as well. Peer counselors offer referral and support services to women who are going through personal transitions, crises or other life experiences for which they need non-judgmental guidance and support.

Information and referral within the organization is always available at the center. The WRC’s display wall is covered with information related to women’s issues such as health care, campus childcare and other services devoted to women within the Fresno community. Both men and women who visit the center can check out books, magazines and journals or browse the Internet in the center’s lounge area.

Volunteer opportunities allow students volunteering in the WRC to learn new skills, meet new people, strengthen and develop areas of interest and, most importantly, receive course credit. Throughout the year, the center will offer workshops, lectures, speakers and conferences for women involved in the Fresno State campus community. Professional women will speak on their chosen careers from a woman’s perspective, informing potential candidates for a position in that particular field.

The Feminist Women’s Reading Group, coordinated by women’s studies professor Susan Apad, meets weekly to discuss reading materials distributed the previous week.

The Never Stop Learning Conference is a one-day conference designed for minority women who are interested in exploring opportunities to continue their educations. The free event is held in April and sponsored by the University’s Division of Extended Education.

Most importantly, the Women’s Resource Center invites women and men of all ages and races to use the center and its many resources in which it provides.

“ It’s like going home on campus,” student Heather Oliver said while visiting the WRC. “The one place you can go no matter what’s going on.”

For more information on the WRC, call the center at 278–4435.

The Collegian writer Davin Ashford contributed to this report.