Women's Programs provides an number of opportunities to engage the studnets, faculty and staff at UC Merced.
Programs
Womxn's Leadership Initaitive
The Womxn’s Leadership Initiative is an academic year program that provides the opportunity to cultivate the leadership and community of womxn identified leaders. We will bring together those who identify as womxn who hold leadership positions across campus with the explicit goals of creating community, providing opportunities to gain additional leadership skills through the stories and experiences of our leaders and develop intentional support structures. We examine what it means to be a womxn leader, how our experiences impact our leadership and practice ways to effectively lead. This program kicks off with a retreat followed by monthly workshops where we will continue developing leadership skills and strengthening the leaders support system.
Women's Program Volunteer
Women’s Programs has multiple opportunities to get involved! We host a number of programs, provide resources and support student development. If you’re interested in supporting a specific program, develop your own program or simply want to do research to create resources for womxn, this is the place to be! Additionally, you gain valuable skills that you can utilize in your future career. You can sign up to volunteer here.
Events
Womxn in the Wilderness
Women in the Wilderness Backpacking Trip aims to empower, educate, and celebrate young women and their connection with nature. Women in the Wilderness provides a supportive environment where all women can have fun, challenge themselves and develop strong connections in a community of women. We provide hands on experience that encourages women to push the boundaries of what it means to be a woman in the wilderness. We spend 2 days and nights exploring the meadows and streams in the High Sierras with a group of women.
Womxn of Color Banquet
The Womxn of Color Banquet is an annual tradition devoted to honoring, celebrating and inspiring individuals who identify as womxn of color at UC Merced. WOCB aims to cultivate supportive environments and strengthen networks among womxn of color. WOCB also serves to unify and create dialogue amongst students, staff, and faculty willing to learn from the collective pressures of race and ethnic relations that womxn of color each experience. Contributing to diversity on campus, the dinner provides an opportunity for the UCM community to share their voices in a supportive atmosphere. This powerful event focuses on the struggles, triumphs and experiences of womxn of color and their allies and celebrates the professional accomplishments and personal successes of womxn of color throughout our community. This event is part of Womxn’s History Month programming.
Womxn's Empowerment Conference
The vision of the Womxn’s Empowerment Conference is to create an environment that fully affirms and honors the lived experiences of womxn at UC Merced and worldwide.
Outstanding Womxn's Award
UC Merced’s annual Outstanding Womxn’s Award was created to recognize those who identify as womxn at UC Merced who have enriched our campus community through their notable leadership, sustained dedication, outstanding service, and inspiring achievements that directly impact womxn. We accept nominations across campus and recognize all nominees with special recognition going to one faculty, staff, post doc, graduate and undergraduate students for going above and beyond in advancing and supporting womxn. The womxn who receive this recognition represent the great diversity and extraordinary accomplishments of today’s womxn.
