1981 - Women’s Studies began operation through College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
1981 – 83 Barbara Bate, Half-time Women’s Studies Coordinator
1980 Fall - Women’s Studies minor implemented
1982 May - First Women’s Studies Minor Completed
Patricia Fertig graduated w/major in In. & T Graphic Arts
1986 - First Self-Designed Women’s Studies Major Completed
Ronda K. Rueff, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, 1986
1989 - Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies Approved
1989 - Board of Regents approved Graduate Studies Minor
1992 - First Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies Completed
Madelyn Anderson, Lori Halverson-Wente, and Kathryn Ranieri
1994 - Pilot Course on LGBT Studies
A pilot course (a survey of LGBT studies across a variety of disciplines) was successfully offered three times between 1994-1997, twice through the Honors Program and once through the Women’s Studies Program.
1996 - First Conference for Young Women
2003 - LGBT Studies began operation through the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
2004 - First LGBT Studies Certificate Courses Offered
2004 - Mother's Memorial Scholarship
The Women's Studies Program endowed its first scholarship, the Mother's Memorial Scholarship Fund. Scholarships were first made available in Spring 2005.
2005 - First Undergraduate Certificate in LGBT Studies Completed
Jay Wartenberg and Jennifer M. Hubbard
2006 - First Graduate Certificate in LGBT Studies Completed
Jeff D. Gillette and Cortney Kintz
2009 - Austin Sawicki Memorial Scholarship
The first Austin Sawicki Memorial Scholarship was awarded, in honor of the death of graduate student and former teaching assistant, Austin Sawicki.
2012 - Graduate Certificate in Law & Women's Studies Approved
2013 - Women's Studies & LGBT Studies Programs Merged
LGBT Studies officially merged with Women's Studies (they remained distinct programs with separate offerings, but were housed in the same office under the same administration and support staff)
2014 - Minor in LGBT Studies Implemented
2014 - Undergraduate Certificate in Women’s & Gender Studies Approved
2015 - Center for the Study of Women, Gender & Sexuality
The Illinois Board of Higher Education approved the formation of the Center for the Study of Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies, which includes the LGBT Studies Program and the Women’s & Gender Studies Program.
2019 – B.A./B.S. in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Implemented
2022 – Dr. Lois Self fund for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Established
1979 - 81, Faculty Coordinating Committee for Women’s Studies
1981 - 83, Barbara Bate, Half-time Women’s Studies Coordinator, Served the program on release time from department faculty position
1983 - 86, Marilyn Skinner, Half-time Women’s Studies Coordinator
1986 - 95, Lois Self, Half-time Women’s Studies Coordinator (WSAC Minutes dated September 17, 1986: title changed to Half-time Director)
1995 - 2012, Amy Levin, Full-time Women’s Studies Director (1995: Position changed to full-time faculty administration)
2003-2004, Diana Swanson and Bradley Peters, LGBT Studies Co-Coordinators
2005-2006, Diana Swanson, LGBT Studies Coordinator
2007-2008, Diana Swanson and Sally Conklin, LGBT Studies Co-Coordinators
2009-2010, Diana Swanson, LGBT Studies Coordinator (one course release granted by Provost)
2010, Kristen Myers and Francesca Giordano, LGBT Studies Co-Coordinator
2011-2012, Kristen Myers, LGBT Studies Coordinator
2012-2014, Robert Brookey, LGBT Studies Coordinator
2012-2014, Kristen Myers, Full-time Women’s Studies Director, and LGBT Studies Coordinator
2014-2019, Kristen Myers, Full-time Center for the Study of Women, Gender & Sexuality Director
2019 -2020 Kate Cady, Acting Director
2020 -2021 Jessica Reyman, Acting Director
2021 – present Jessica Reyman, Director
Diana Swanson, Women's Studies & English Department, (1991-Present)
Lynn Kamenitsa, Women's Studies & Political Science, (1993-2008)
Heather Hardy, Women's Studies & English Department (1993-97)
Amanda Littauer, Women's Studies & History (2009-Present)
Courtney Gallaher, Women's Studies & Geography (2012-Present)
Karla Padron, CSWGS & Communication (2019-present)
1996, Margaret M. Cook
2014, Rebekah L. Kohli (Program Coordinator position changed to full-time, 12 month position)
2018, Katie Heinekamp (position changed to Program Adviser)
Zulauf Hall (1980 - 81)
Wirtz House, 305 Normal Road (1981 - 89)
Reavis Hall, Rooms 107 & 108 (108 Reavis was TA's office) (1989 - 95)
Reavis Hall, Room 103 (1995 - Present)
For more information on our history, see the archives in Founders Memorial Library 4th floor
Phone: 815-753-1038
Email: wgs@niu.edu