Maggie Veak is double-majoring in Gender & Women’s Studies and Political Science.
1.Why did you choose GWS?
I stumbled across GWS when taking a political science class cross listed with GWS; The Politics of Gender and Women’s Rights in the Middle East. Shortly thereafter, I came to realize that GWS courses are where I’m the most eager to learn from and actively listen to my classmates, TAs, and professors. Last spring I decide to pursue the major after one of my professor’s encouraged me to explore this possibility. Every time I enroll in GWS course, I look forward to the interdisciplinary and intersectional content as well as the friendly classroom environment!
GWS has changed my approach to involvement in two ways. First, GWS has showed me that classrooms can act as a space for community/coalition building and provide resources for participation in organized involvement. Second, I learned that no act of involvement is too little. I now know that is worth it to get involved with activities like advocacy, volunteering, and mutual aid even if the time and energy I can offer comes in small doses!
3. How has GWS shaped your future plans?
After graduation, I hope to work with the creation, application, and analysis of public policy. My experiences and engagement with GWS have expanded and challenged my preexisting knowledge and understandings of a variety of policy topics. As of now, I’m interested in examining policy surrounding abolition and mass incarceration, reproductive justice and maternal care, LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms, land back initiatives, K-12 education, and accessibility to name a few! Ultimately, I plan to bring an intersectional, open minded, and compassionate approach—that I have developed in part due to GWS—to each and every one of my future endeavors.