Amanda Stuart is a graduating Sociology and Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies- Concentration in Gender and Social Change B.A with a minor in English and History. As graduation approaches, WGSS seniors reflect on their time in the department. 

What made you pursue a Women’s and Gender Studies (WST) major/minor? 

WGSS courses are very interesting and enlightening and helped me to reconcile my experiences living within the intersectionality of my identities as an African American woman. I loved learning about the intersection between race, gender, and sexuality and how these identities have impacted my life experiences which have been very empowering to learn about throughout the WGSS courses I have taken over the last four years at Stony Brook. 

 Are there any professors and/or classes that had an impact on you

I have taken some of my favorite courses through the WGSS department. Freshman year I took my freshman seminar course GLS 102 in Spring 2019 with Mary Jo Bona. I absolutely loved her as a professor, she was always animated and warm and she sparked my passion for WGSS. I especially enjoyed the courses Race and Sex work with Cristina Khan and Black Women’s Literature in the African Diaspora with Tracey Walters.  I have taken a few courses with Cristina Khan whom I admire as a professor. She is very insightful and brilliant as her lectures are always intriguing. I have taken WST 102 with her which has solidified my passion for WGSS. Her class taught me the foundation of the subject that I have brought with me throughout my other WGSS courses and within my life. I am also her TA for one of her WST 102 course sections this semester which is rewarding as I was a student of hers four years ago, and now I work alongside her as her teaching assistant.

What will you miss most about the WGSS department when you graduate?

I will miss all of the professors that I have taken and all of the WGSS courses I did not have the opportunity to take during my time at Stony Brook. However, I will definitely pursue more courses within higher education in the future. 

What do you plan on doing in the future? 

I would love to work in an organization where I could empower people like me specifically women of color that exist within intersectional identities that are marginalized within American society.

What began as a tool to bring together WGSS staff, students, and alumni during the pandemic will continue! The WGSS department will be sharing a song or songs that embody all of their hard work this semester, as well as creating our own graduation soundtrack! #WGSSGraduation2022

Cassandra Skolnick

“I am selecting the song, Unstoppable by Sia, because it has been my theme song and source of empowerment throughout my undergraduate career. I have experienced many obstacles, from discrimination to an emergency health scare…and throughout, “I put my armor on, show you how strong I am.” I refuse to let anything stop me from achieving my goal of earning my undergraduate degree and dedicating it to my family and professors who supported me on my journey.”

“Keeping to the theme of women’s empowerment, Kalie Shorr delivers powerful lines that resonate strongly with me; “…I might fall down but I get back up, I shine brightest when the going’s tough.” It is another song that has made my Spotify “On Repeat” playlist. We must remember that as feminists, we are challenging power hierarchies that are not going to relinquish their power willingly; they are going to obstruct our progress. And, to those individuals who stand in my way and try to hold me back, just know… ‘I got my high heels on with my boxing gloves, I can knock you out with a one-two punch’.”

Cristina Khan

MaryJo Bona

One of her favorite Janelle Monáe songs!

Galia Cozzi Berrondo

“This song is all about love and care! It always helps to ground me and remind me about the people that I love around me.”

“To be completely honest, this is the song I have been listening to lately when I get very anxious and it helps a lot. It is also a throw-back to my puberty.”

“I just love this song!”

Angelina Zingariello

“This song has always had a special place in my heart. Throughout the years I have constantly discovered new things about myself; this song reminds me I do not have to be anyone’s idea of what I should be.”

Jackie Donnelly

“This was an especially tough year for me, and hearing this song for the first time (released in 2021) hit close to home. A bittersweet song that captures a year of many lows, but also gives a sense of hope for better days ahead.  And who isn’t soothed by Brandi Carlile’s amazing harmonies? ❤”

“The Kennedy Center Honors this year celebrated Joni Mitchell. My mom and I watched this on Christmas Day together and we were dancing and singing along while we listened to this amazing compilation of some of her most memorable songs. So, so good!”

Karyna Colyer is a graduating Health Science B.S and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Minor. As graduation approaches, WGSS seniors reflect on their time in the department.

What made you pursue a Women’s and Gender Studies (WST) major/minor?

I grew up in a small rural college town, was raised by a single mother, and had the opportunity to attend an all-girls boarding high school, consisting of international students. I honestly didn’t experience much blatant sexism until college because I was fortunate enough to grow up steeped in feminism. My background presented me with the female experience in a lot of different ways and helped me realize and solidify my position as a woman. The events leading up to and during the 2016 Women’s March though, opened my eyes to just how alive and well sexism is in this country, and that gender and sexuality continue to be weaponized. With the exposure I had coming into college, I knew gender and gender studies were extremely important to me. I began my minor as a sophomore and was finally given vocabulary and theories that explained what I had been seeing for years. It was a baffling first semester of classes because I thought as a woman, who grew up around a variety of women, I knew what it meant to be a woman, but I quickly learned how naïve I was. Having the option to pursue WGSS as a minor allowed me to have a more holistic college experience, and helped me develop my interpersonal and professional skills from research to outreach. Coupled with my major in health science, I hope to someday work with underserved women and children, preferably in healthcare education and advocacy. I hope to give back to the communities that have shaped me, and without the deeper knowledge and understanding I gained through my minor I would not be able to do that.

Are there any professors and/or classes that had an impact on you?

I had Professor Khan, who is an adjunct professor I believe, for WST102. She changed my entire outlook on sociology and human interactions. She gave me and our entire class so much knowledge and made us all feel so comfortable while learning it. She made sure we always asked questions no matter how shallow or in-depth, and always gave thorough answers with real life examples. Her ability to help us understand the intricacies of human bodies, social structures, and power dynamics was remarkable. I have taken lessons from that class and use them every single day while also doing what I can to pass on the knowledge that I gained in that class to my friends, family, and peers.

What was your experience like in the WGSS department?

I never felt like I was minoring in “feminism” though, or just women’s studies. I took classes that gave me completely new perspectives on the male experience, and the queer, trans, and LGBTQ experience in general. By developing a broader understanding of all of these things, I think I became a better student, sister, friend, partner, and ally. Taking even just an intro WST class can change a person’s entire perspective, and being involved in this department has been one of my best decisions in college, one that I would recommend to anyone.

Sophia Garbarino is a graduating Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies B.A. who also has a second major in Sociology and a Health, Medicine, and Society Minor. As graduation approaches, WGSS seniors reflect on their time in the department.

What made you pursue a Women’s and Gender Studies (WST) major/minor?

I enrolled in WST 103 with Professor Montegary in the second semester of my freshman year. My 101 fellow is also a WGSS major and talked to me about the program after I decided to stop pursuing the pre-med track. During our first class, we dove right into learning about critical feminist theory, something I’d never been exposed to before. It completely blew my mind! As someone who loves abstract thinking and is passionate about rectifying injustices, I felt like I’d finally found what was missing in my entire academic career up until that point. Nothing in school had really made me think about complex big ideas before that, but intersectional feminism now allowed me to explore concepts without fear of being wrong, because a “right” answer is always subjective.

What was your experience like in the WGSS department?

In complete honesty, I genuinely liked all of the WGSS professors I’ve had. Each one clearly cares about their students – not just their academic performance defined by letters and numbers, but the actual person behind the grades as well. I love the intimate seminar-style classes, which partly comes from the WGSS department being small compared to other programs at Stony Brook, but mostly comes from the students themselves. Everyone has something meaningful to contribute to the conversation. WGSS is also, arguably, the most interdisciplinary field in existence (to date). Everyone can find something that interests them while applying a WGSS lens.

What do you plan on doing in the future?

I plan to go straight to graduate school in the fall to earn a Master’s in Public Health. The courses I’ve taken for the GSPH specialization track have really solidified my interest in public health, and I hope to continue my education and make a real difference in the realm of health inequity. I’m not sure which school I’ll attend yet, but hopefully somewhere sunny.

Pavithra Venkataraman is a graduating Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies B.A. with a Specialization in Gender and Social Change and a Minor in Political Science and Philosophy. As graduation approaches, WGSS seniors reflect on their time in the department.     

What made you pursue a Women’s and Gender Studies (WST) major/minor?

I came in as a freshman AMS major and quickly realized that I did not want to spend all my time in math classes. I took WST 102 with Suzanne Staub (amazing class!!) for an SBC requirement and fell in love with the content and the style of learning. I enjoyed being exposed to different issues and perspectives every week through a variety of readings and having the opportunity to discuss them with our class in a respectful way. I realized that it was important to me to make sure that I was learning as much as I could about the way the world works and how people are impacted by these systems, even if the topics are a little difficult at times. As someone who identifies with a few different minority identities, being able to learn about people like me as well as people not like me at all is eye-opening and has led me on a journey of personal growth as well as academic learning. 

Are there any professors and/or classes that had an impact on you?

I have been fortunate enough to take many WST classes at SBU under some wonderful faculty, as well as related electives that fit into a WST curricula in some way. Something that I really enjoy about the program is that there are a wide variety of outside department classes that can correlate with other majors and minors that fulfill requirements and are extremely enjoyable classes themselves. SOC 340, taught by Cathy Marrone, is a class that I think every person who plans on being a parent in some way should consider taking. It completely changed my perspective on motherhood and parenthood and made me consider things that I didn’t even know there were to consider! Similarly, POL 330, taught by Juliette Passer, is an excellent introduction to the legal sphere of gender considerations and Professor Passer does a great job at giving you a general law overview without being too jargon-heavy. Within the WGSS department, I loved WST 398 with Nancy Hiemstra and have found myself referencing certain themes and patterns that we discussed in several other classes. Lastly, I took WST 408, the senior-thesis writing class, with Liz Montegary, and produced a thesis that I am extremely proud of. Professor Montegary is one of the best writing mentors I have ever had and expertly assisted our entire class in creating superb papers and projects. 

What was your experience like in the WGSS department?

The WGSS department has been one of my favorite parts of attending SBU. The faculty and advisors are the most caring, understanding, and supportive and there is never any doubt that they are looking out for your best interests. Classes are focused on making sure we learn something valuable, rather than grades and numbers, and that is reflected in the participation you see in each class. Advising is personalized, easy to access, and useful and has been a blessing to me many times when I had a quick question or concern. I do my best to convince everyone I know to try out a WST class or two, and have even converted a few minors and majors! I always say that the WST major has taught me about the things I didn’t even know there were to learn about, and I wouldn’t want to go through life without actively seeking out as many of these topics as I possibly can. I’m grateful to the program for providing me with these opportunities!

What do you plan on doing in the future?

When I graduate, I plan to attend law school and pursue a legal degree. I have always wanted to work with and help people, and my time at SBU has shown me that law is the place where I can use my skills to make the most change and help the most people. I want to work within the government and pursue public interest opportunities in such a way that I can help create change that helps to balance some of the discrimination that exists in our world. The WST major has shown me that injustice can exist and act in nuanced ways and that it takes an open mind and a willingness to learn to understand and combat this injustice. If you are on the fence, I would definitely recommend pursuing Women’s and Gender Studies or at least dipping your toes in the water! I guarantee you will learn something from it. 

Cassandra Skolnick is a graduating Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies B.A. with a Specialization in Gender and Social Change and a Minor in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. As graduation approaches, WGSS seniors reflect on their time in the department. 

What made you pursue a Women’s and Gender Studies (WST) major/minor? 

 I discovered myself living through a viral pandemic, one traversing centuries before I was born. A pandemic that privileges the few and oppresses the many. I knew these inequalities existed, but I found why they existed to be incomprehensible. I was ecstatic when I learned about the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies major at Stony Brook University, feeling that I might finally be capable of answering the question we have all asked at some point in our lives… why? My passion is for genuine social change, establishing an alternative society that raises us all up and leaves none of us behind. The Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies program incorporates interdisciplinary methodologies that prepare students for critically assessing the world around them. These skills are something I knew would be invaluable for my future pursuits!  

 Are there any professors and/or classes that had an impact on you? 

 Professor Hiemstra has been a mentor and inspiration to me throughout my time at Stony Brook University. Her passion and knowledge of feminism, borders, and immigration has peeked my own interests in how the concept of borders permeate everyday life and create racialized and gendered divisions, maintaining heteronormative hierarchies. Professor Montegary also had a significant impact on me as I researched and prepared my senior thesis in the Fall 2021 semester. She encouraged me to delve into the unknown and unexplored, making significant contributions to academic conversations. The result is a senior thesis that I am proud to stand behind.  

What was your experience like in the WGSS department?

 I found my experience in the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies department to be invaluable, gratifying, and rewarding. The professors are experts in their field, providing insightful and consequential discussion, and encouraging students to step beyond their comfort zone. The program is inclusive of students from all backgrounds and intersectional identities. I identified with many of my peers, feeling not so alone in a world that has discriminated on me and oppressed me. The Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies department is like an extended family, and I have so much appreciation and admiration for all my extended family!   

 What will you miss most about the WGSS department when you graduate? 

This is a tough question, but I am going to miss Professor Hiemstra the most. She has supported me in my academic and activist pursuits since I transferred to Stony Brook University. She has involved me in research projects, peer mentoring, and graduate studies, greatly influencing my future academic pursuits, research, and career decisions.  

 What do you plan on doing in the future?

I launched a nonprofit organization called, Society of Advocates Fighting for Equality (S.A.F.E.), with aspirations of engaging in meaningful advocacy work and community education, targeting the foundations of the heteropatriarchy. I also plan on attending law school to earn a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, using the judicial system as a platform to breach the crevasses of our capitalist society. I have also considered authoring a book, connecting what I learned from historical feminist philosophers with my own lived experiences and personal theories for evolving feminism.  

Marcela Muricy, a senior Biology and WGSS student here at Stony Brook, is the recipient of The A. Sanchez Award for 2021. We are proud to have such an ambitious student from our department be presented with this prestigious award! We interviewed her in regards to her achievement and other aspects of her education. Congratulations Marcela! 

What does receiving this scholarship mean to you?My mom has been pushing me to be successful for as long as I can remember, teaching me (age 8) how to take notes on biology, to teaching me (age 16) how to manage my finances and work hard. She’s the most motivated person I’ve ever met and (fortunately) my best friend. It’s been a pleasure of mine to make her just as proud as she’s made me, and this scholarship is nothing short of that. I’m also a very goal-oriented person, which is very hard as a pre-med student because your primary goal is only 15 years from now. So, you have to set mini-goals of understanding gene regulation in bacteria and memorizing 15 different molecules in a biochemical pathway. This scholarship, then, is very valuable to me as something I worked hard for in the short-term. They say “behind every great man is a great woman”, and I believe it works the other way too — at least for me personally. My boyfriend and best friend, Joshua Gershenson, has been my right hand man through everything and given me the grit to persist and be passionate in all I do. He’s really pushed me to succeed, and I’m sure it won’t stop anytime soon, so this scholarship, to me, is also a sign of gratitude to him.

What are the qualifications to receive this scholarship?  You must be someone who has shown outstanding academic achievement, scholarly promise and service and leadership to the community, a Latino/Latina juniors and first semester seniors in the College of Arts and Sciences with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. The application requires a current undergraduate transcript, C.V. indicating any relevant academic prizes, community and work experiences, two faculty letters of recommendation, and a brief (2-page maximum) essay that explains your accomplishments, major academic interests and how your current studies relate to your future professional or intellectual development.”

What was your reaction when you learned you received this scholarship?  I was very surprised. I personally know so many incredible Hispanic students at this school and was grateful to even be in the same space as them. I felt so proud not just of myself and the work I’ve put in, but also of the sacrifices my mother’s made in my name.

The happiness hasn’t died just yet, and I’m not sure when it will. My mom’s face every time she tells someone new in our family (there’s a lot of us lol) is priceless and unforgettable.

Are you putting your award towards school or something else?  I’m putting my award towards my school loans and any other academic costs I need to cover.

What are you looking forward to/ what are your goals after receiving your degree(s)?  After receiving my degree, I hope to attend medical school and become an MD. At the moment, I have my eyes set on gynecology and endocrinology, but I’m open to other passions I might find on the way. I’m also very interested in conducting research (hopefully on a global scale). I believe the overlapping skills of research and medicine to be the true step forward and the future of innovative treatments and accessible medicine for underprivileged communities. I constantly struggle between my passion for Brazilian culture, and my horror at the pain their poor citizens must endure. I do not wish to feel that same pain in the US, but rather to take action against it. It is not just to provide quality services only to those that have found a way to play the game of capitalism, while others are suffocated by it.

What made you decide to pursue the WST major?  I decided to take an introduction to WST course my freshman semester with Dr. Cristina Khan, which just piqued my interest so much. It fed my curiosity on hidden histories and a broad perspective of what it means to be human— I didn’t want to stop learning about it.

What has your experience been like in the WST major?  It’s been a pleasure. Every single WST professor is incredible, not just in how passionate they are but also in their ability to teach and convey that passion to their students. I’ve bonded and learned from Dr. Khan so much since first taking her class, and am very grateful for that opportunity. I’ve also had the chance to explore my interests on the diversity of humans, not just in the racial sense, but also in the way of thought, sexuality, gender, and protest. Every bit of it has been a chance of discovery and broadening of perspective. I want to give a huge thank you to Dr. Khan and everyone in the WST department for an amazing past few years 🙂