Rodlyn-mae Banting (they/them) is a Filipino American poet, journalist, and cultural critic writing at the intersections of the arts, race, gender, and empire. They graduated with an MA in Gender & Women’s Studies from UW–Madison in 2022. They also earned a BA in English & Writing with a minor in Gender & Sexuality Studies from …
Dear Gender and Women’s Studies Community, At our recent commencement event, I chatted with our graduating students about their experiences in our department. They praised individual instructors and the department for providing life-changing instruction and encouraging personal and intellectual exploration. They beamed as they recounted illuminating moments and empowering achievements, and they were eager to …
Happy Almost Summer, GWS and LGBTQ+ Studies Alumni! Writing this on Tuesday, May 6th, I am filled with gratitude in this moment, relaxing in my big, comfy chair, having given a talk about my book, Digital Girlhoods (2025), earlier this evening to a room filled with wonderful humans at the wonderful A Room of One’s …
Name: Rachel Kuo Title: Assistant Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies and Asian American Studies Hometown: Chicago, IL (or Chicago area) Educational/professional background: I have a Ph.D. and MA in Media, Culture, and Communication from New York University and a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, with minors in Art and Classical Humanities. …
Summer Herrmann graduated from UW Madison in 2021 with a BA in Sociology and Gender & Women’s Studies. Post graduation, Summer did a variety of jobs, including as an Administrative Accounting Assistant for an elevator company and a Supporting Educator/Continued Care Coordinator for a school. Currently, Summer works as an Overnight Shelter Advocate at DAIS …
Marlena G. Holden (she/her) graduated with a double major in English and Gender and Women’s Studies in 2000 and was a Powers-Knapp and Chancellor’s Scholar. She received her Master’s degree in Women’s Studies from The Ohio State University (’02), where she focused on feminist film theory. She is the Director of Brand & Communications at …
Dear Gender and Women’s Studies Community, It is a profoundly challenging and demoralizing moment as the Gender and Women’s Studies community, and the values we affirm, are under attack. But our community is wide and deep. Let us stand together at this difficult time. While 2025 has started off as a wildly challenging year, 2025 …
Greetings dear GWS and LGBTQ+ Alumni Community! If you’re reading this right now, I sincerely hope that you will let your shoulders drop, let your jaw unclench, do a few nice head rolls, and take a couple of deep breaths. These days a big old sigh and taking a moment to notice the sensation of …
Visiting Assistant Professor Hanan Al-Alawi, who joined Gender and Women’s Studies in Fall 2024, is our March 2025 Faculty Focus! She is currently teaching GWS 101: Gender, Women, and Cultural Representation and GWS 345: Narrating Queer Lives. Name: Dr. Hanan Al-Alawi Title: Visiting Assistant Professor in Gender and Women’s Studies Hometown: Kuwait Educational/professional background: I have a …
Jordan Hatcher (she/her) has stayed quite busy since graduating with her BA in 2012! Jordan applied her International Studies major and Certificate in Gender and Woman’s Studies in service as a community health volunteer with the Peace Corps in both Senegal and South Africa on HIV, malaria, and maternal health projects. From there, Jordan spent …