When I first came to Lehigh, I honestly didn’t know Women's, Gender & Sexuality Studies (WGSS) existed. Once I discovered it, WGSS completely changed how I think about power, identity, and the world around me. But I kept meeting students who either didn't know about WGSS or dismissed it based on stereotypes - that it's not practical, not rigorous, or claiming it’s “not for them” without even knowing the full context of it.
Instead of trying to convince people why WGSS matters through simply presenting basic statistics or arguments, as we know can becoming unengaging or just another set of facts we’re so use to hearing, I'm letting the WGSS community speak for themselves. These letters - from current students, alumni, faculty, and community members - show what gender studies actually teaches, how it transforms thinking, and where it leads.
If you're curious about WGSS, considering the major or minor, or just wondering what all of this is about, these letters are for you.
- Ashley Witkowski, Soar with Us Fellow
“Gender studies never felt included in my STEM picture. But the more I learned about how science actually works, that assumption started to fall apart… WGSS does not pull students away from science or their major. It adds to their education and changes how they see the questions they’re asking.” - Aly Marmor
“Lehigh’s WGSS program inspired and encouraged me to pursue a Master’s Degree in Race, Gender, & Sexuality Studies… I left my WGS classes in undergrad with an altered perspective on the world every week… there is no corner of your life the knowledge you gain through this program won’t touch.” - Gianna Occhiolini
“The WGSS classes gave me freedom within my English major to explore what feels important and meaningful to me personally and to my community… it has enriched my learning and personal development, as well as many others.” - Emma Fraley
“These are not soft skills. They are leadership skills… If you are considering WGSS, know this: it does not limit your path. It expands it. It gives you a perspective that will serve you in any career, especially in spaces where progress still has room to grow.” - Andi B. Robbins
Acknowledgments
This project wouldn’t exist without a lot of support from people who believed in this idea.
Thank you to Professor Mary Foltz for encouraging your students to write letters, for supporting WGSS students in everything you do, and for believing in this project from the very beginning. Your courses genuinely changed how I see the world, and I’m so grateful for that.
Thank you to Rita and the Gender, Leadership & Empowerment Center for hosting my SOAR with US Fellowship and providing the space, support, and resources to make this work actually possible. I couldn’t have done this without GLE.
Thank you to the WGSS department at Lehigh for creating a program that transforms students’ lives and for supporting this project in so many ways.
Thank you to every single student and alumnus who contributed a letter. Your voices are what make this project meaningful. Your willingness to share your stories - honestly and openly - will help future students understand what WGSS truly offers. This project is yours as much as it’s mine.
Thank you to my friends who wrote letters even when you were busy, who helped at the pop-up event, who spread the word about this project, who encouraged me when I felt overwhelmed. I appreciate you so much.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by the pop-up event, asked
questions, engaged in conversations, took flyers, and helped make WGSS more visible on campus. Every single interaction mattered.
And thank you to everyone who’s supported this work in ways big and small. This belongs to all of us.