In 1972, a group of undergraduate women students formed the Trinity Women’s Organization (TWO) which was funded by the student government and had an office in the basement of Mather Hall. By 1977, students had successfully petitioned for space and funding for a Women’s Center, which officially opened in the fall of that year. The Center’s purpose was to serve the needs of faculty, administrative, and staff women, as well as students. The students formed a coordinating committee to work with the Center’s co-coordinators to plan the year’s activities and to help implement programming, which included lectures, workshops, discussion panels, and films.

In 1984, the Center hired its first full-time coordinator and expanded both its programming and its purpose, which allowed the Center to become a more visible and integral part of the life of the College and of the Hartford area:

“The purpose of the Women’s Center at Trinity College is to educate members of the Trinity community about women’s and gender issues, to serve as a center of support for women, to be an advocate regarding women’s concerns on campus, to be a resource center for students and faculty, and to be a liaison to women’s groups in the community. The Center’s programs and the activities of the coordinator are directed toward women and men of the faculty, administration, staff, and student body. The Center is also concerned with taking advantage of the College’s urban setting by using the resources of the community and by fostering interaction between the diverse Hartford community and the Trinity student body.”

In the years that followed the Center maintained its active presence on campus and continued to expand upon or develop new programming for student groups, alumni, and faculty. In 2003, the Center formulated a new mission statement:

“The Women’s Center is a place of advocacy, support, and welcome for all members of the Trinity community. Through educational, social and cultural programming, it seeks to promote women’s self-determination and empowerment; awareness of women’s rights and issues; redress of gender inequities; understanding among women of different economic classes, cultural backgrounds, and sexual identities; and the creation of a campus environment conducive to respectful interaction between women and men.”

In 2006, the Women’s Center became the Women & Gender Resource Action Center (WGRAC) with the following mission statement, according to a promotional brochure:

“The Women & Gender Resource Action Center (WGRAC) is a place of advocacy, support, and welcome for all members of the Trinity community. Through educational, social, and cultural programming, it seeks to promote women’s self-determination and empowerment; awareness of women’s rights and issues; redress of gender inequities; understanding among diverse students and of the intersectional experiences of different economic classes, sexes, races, nationalities and ethnicities, ages, religions, genders, sexual orientations, and gender identities; promotion of anti-racism, anti-classism, and body positivity; the bridging of theory into practice and action; and, the creation of a campus environment conducive to respectful interaction between people of all genders and backgrounds.”

Currently, the Center is part of the Trinity College office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and oversees six student organizations: Promoting Healthy Awareness of the Body (PHAB); Students Expecting Consent (SECS); Masculinity Project (MP); Big Sister/Little Sister Program; Women In Business (WIB); and Ignite. The Center also provides Title IX resources such as SART: The Sexual Assault Resource Team.

The WGRAC office is located on the second floor of Mather Hall behind the Washington Room and includes a Lounge and Library.

Leadership

September 1977 – Ann Leventhal and Judy Rohrer named co-coordinators

September 1978 – Leslie Wright named coordinator

Fall 1984 – Judith Branzburg named first full-time coordinator

1987 – Ann Menard named part-time assistant coordinator when Judith Branzburg became part-time affirmative action officer for Trinity

Fall 1989 – Pat Reville hired as part-time interim coordinator after Judith Branzburg resigned

January 1990 – Diane Martell hired as full-time coordinator

Fall 1998 – Laura Lockwood hired as director

2008 – Funding received to hire a part-time assistant to the director

Women and Gender Resource Action Center