Award Winners

Courtney Earle:

WGS SENIOR SCHOLAR/DEPARTMENTAL SCHOLAR

Courtney is a Women and Gender Studies and Public Health double major. She is passionate about menstrual equity and is currently working to address the topic through her senior Honors thesis. After graduation, she plans to serve in the Peace Corps as a health education volunteer. She loves hiking, dark chocolate sorbet, and any novel that passes the Bechdel test.

Isaiah Louis-Jean:

HARRIET WHITNEY AWARD

Scholarly, I am interested in topics in women and gender studies specifically western influence on gender and also the operations of power structures/hierarchies. Career-wise, I want to be a professional dancer but while I establish my dance career I would like to work at a resource center for an oppressed population and continue the activism I have learned during my time with the WMS Department. Finally, in terms of other accomplishments, This will be the 3rd scholarship I have received towards my college education: I have received one for Dance, one for being Native American, and now finally for excellency in Women Studies.

Samantha Newsom:

HARRIET WHITNEY AWARD

My name is Samantha Newsom. I am 21 years old, and I am currently a junior at SUNY Brockport. I am a double major in Social Work and Women and Gender Studies. While I currently do not have a complete idea of what I want to be doing in the future, I do know that I would love to use both my social work and women studies skills to help as many people as I can. Acknowledging my privilege and doing what I can to use it for others is my main goal. I believe change starts with all of us as individuals, and I cannot wait to get the chance to do what I can.

Nax Gillett:

ELAINE K. MILLER AWARD

Nax is currently studying Psychology, Women and Gender Studies and Criminal Justice while at Brockport and plans to graduate in the year 2021. They hope to eventually get their doctorate in Counseling or Psychology and work from there.

Megan Wright:

DONALDSON LEADERSHIP AWARD

Megan Wright is a student of the Honors College, a triple Women and Gender Studies, Spanish, and Sociology major, with a minor in Art History, and is a member of Iota Iota Iota, National Honor Society in Women and Gender Studies. With the knowledge she gained in her WGS courses, she was able to present her research at Scholar’s Day in Brockport, NY, SUNY Undergraduate Research Conference in Rochester, NY, Seneca Falls Dialogues in Seneca Falls, NY and the National Women’s Studies Association in San Francisco, CA.

Adding a major in WGS was the best decision I could’ve made at Brockport. I am extremely grateful for the amazing faculty in the department for introducing me to so many opportunities. The faculty are very involved with the students and always encourage and value our success. With this department, I have learned so much inside and outside of the classroom. They offer plenty of programming and opportunities so that students are involved. As a department, they are always interested in growing and being the best asset that they can for their students.

Grace Pulcini:

JENNIFER M. LLOYD WOMEN & GENDER STUDIES ESSAY AWARD

The winner of the Jennifer M. Lloyd Women and Gender Studies Essay Award for the essay, “Higher Education as a Measure of Success: A Familial Oral History and Cross-Generational Assessment” is Grace Pulcini.

Grace is a history major with a double minor in Women & Gender Studies and African & African American Studies. Grace is a very strong writer and researcher and we look forward to seeing what the future brings for Grace!

Ciarra McFarland:

WOOLF OBOURN SCHOLARSHIP

Ciarra is a junior Women and Gender Studies and Public Health double major with a minor in Psychology. She is deeply committed to social justice in all her work. Her essay for Dissenting Voices explores ways the dominance feminism can be better used to theorize and change state supported violence against Black men’s bodies. Ciarra won this award for her deep critical thinking, her commitment to work around gender equity that is also anti-racist, and her ability to incorporate multiple disciplinary approaches into her work. She is the feisty heroine of her own story. Congratulations, Ciarra!

From Ciarra McFarland:

Thank you so much for selecting me as a recipient of the prestigious Woolf Obourn Scholarship. I feel fortunate and blessed to have been chosen by you for this great honor. It has been a pleasure getting to know you, I’ve learned a lot from you within the short time of knowing you. You have, indeed, been a blessing in my life. Not all superheroes wear capes. Thank you again for this incredible gift. My heart is filled with gratitude.

Shantise Balkum:

WOMEN AND GENDER STUDIES SERVICE TO DISCIPLINE AWARD

Shantise is a senior Women and Gender Studies major. After graduation she plans to move to Florida and to pursue a masters hopefully in the WGS program, as well as work at a women’s clinic or shelter there. She works in the Prevention and Outreach/Women’s Center on campus.

Selena Roldedo

Selena is a senior majoring in sociology and women and gender studies. She is very passionate about issues of inequality in all forms. Selena intends on working closely with members of marginalized groups following graduation.

Grace Cunningham

Grace is excited to be graduating from Brockport with a degree in Women and Gender Studies, and minors in Disability Studies and Theatre. She is thankful to have taken classes with such amazing and supportive faculty, and although sad to leave, Grace is excited to see what is in store for the next chapter of her life.

Keeley Hayes

Ciarra McFarland

Nathaniel Paddock

Susanna Moore

Samantha Ruiz

Samantha Newsom

Sadie Knight

Samuel L. Zhen