After completing her Ph. D. in English at Washington State University, Rita moved to the University of Northern Colorado, where she was an Assistant Professor and Director of Women’s Studies.
Her research interests include women and mothering, women and medicine, and how women in higher education negotiate their identities in terms of class and race. Particularly, she is interested in seeing inclusive excellence and social justice become realities rather than theories. Rita teaches one course a year in the Women’s Studies Department, works with colleagues across the campus to understand and meet the needs of female students, staff, and faculty in different disciplines and departments, and collaborates with many people to celebrate the accomplishments of women at Lehigh. She looks forward to meeting new students, whether they are first year students or those who are graduating in a month. Spending time with students and colleagues remains her most rewarding experiences of being in higher education.
She enjoys spending time with her family at Hawk Mountain or playing croquet, chase, or catch in the backyard, likes to sew and hopes to learn quilting at some point in her life, finds time once in a while to watch mid-twentieth century films, delights in watching her children build the most amazing structures out of pretty much any materials they can find around the house, and savors her spouse’s brilliance.
Originally from Havertown, Pennsylvania, Brooke attended the Academy of Notre Dame de Nemur in Villanova, Pennsylvania and then headed to Lehigh where her mom and 2 uncles also attended. She graduated from Lehigh with a B.A. in American Studies, a minor in Women’s Studies and then stayed on as a Graduate Assistant in athletics under the supervision of Roseann Corsi. Brooke finished her masters degree in American Studies at Lehigh in 2008. After Lehigh, she began her doctorate degree in human sexuality at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania. While at Widener she earned a Masters of Education degree. Brooke is currently working on a doctoral dissertation which focuses on primary gender violence prevention for collegiate males. She taught at Delaware County Community College and did a variety of freelance projects for Lehigh before beginning a full time position here in August.
Since coming back to Lehigh she has moved to Bethlehem Township. Brooke has 2 younger brothers, Jeff and Jos, and an Irish Setter named Cinnabun. Sporting activities Brooke enjoys include playing field hockey, boxing, watching football on Sundays with her dad, going to Flyers games with the family and running with Bun. Other interests include cooking, shopping (especially for shoes), traveling and art.
Traci joined the Women's Center in Spring of 2011. She brings with her 20 years of experience working in healthcare. Traci enjoys supervising the staff members as well as coordinating many of the events that emanate from the Center. Her interests include spin class, yoga and spending time with her family.
Student Staff:
Nurse family Partnership, Powder Puff Football Tournament, Red Flag Campaign
Eddie Brack
My name is Eddie Brack. I am a Behavioral Neuroscience major from the class of 2013! I have been working at the Women’s Center since the beginning of my freshman year. Through the Women’s Center, I have been given the opportunities to align myself with many different groups and organizations, and to participate in, plan, and execute many events around campus with purposes that I am passionate about. Some events I’ve been majorly involved in are the Red Flag Campaign and The Nurse Family Partnership Toy and Book Drives. So many people ask me what motivates me to work at the Center. The reason is that I have such a profound respect for women. This deep respect is rooted in the roles that my mother and my grandmother have played in my family for so many years. They are the strong ones. They are the backbones that have provided my family with strength, structure, and support. In a lot of ways growing up, my mother was my father. She is one of the strongest women I know, and it means so much to me to fight to empower, and instill this sense of strength in all women. Men too! I do identify myself as a feminist. Does your perception of me conflict with your definition for what a feminist is? Hmmm. If so, you should stop by the center a little more oftenJ. 2011-2012 is going to be a productive and exciting year at Lehigh, and I’m looking forward to it! See you guys.
-Eddie.
Origyns Sarah Bruno
Sarah Bruno is in the first year of her graduate studies, working toward her Masters Degree in English and her Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies. Her areas of interest include women’s writing, primarily in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. She is also interested in pursuing the literature and social justice program in the English department.
Sarah is originally from Dalton, PA and did her undergraduate studies at Albright College in Reading, PA, where she earned her BA in English, Women’s Studies, and African Studies. Currently, she is working on an internship in the Women’s Center. She also serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Origyns, the feminist-oriented creative writing and literary magazine of the W.C.
She enjoys reading and writing poetry as well as short stories. Much of her work primarily focuses upon the experiences of women and reconstructing the lives of literary figures in new ways. She hopes to publish a chapbook of her own poetry at some point in the future
Brown Bag Discussions, Body Image Therese Corcoran
Therese Corcoran is a sophomore from Bernardsville, NJ. She is a pre-med Sociology/Anthropology major. She hopes to pursue a career in naturopathic and preventative medicine. Besides being a member of the Women’s Center staff, Therese is involved in various other activities on campus including Engineers Without Borders, AMWA, Green Action, WAVES, and the Youth Medical Reserve Corp of Bethlehem, and is also a member of the Lehigh Orientation Staff. She hopes to also get involved with Break The Silence at some point in her Lehigh career. Therese loves being outdoors, practicing yoga and mediation, exploring new places, and volunteering in community service. She participated in the springSERVE trip to Portland, Oregon last spring to work with Habitat for Humanity. Therese also plans on studying abroad in Argentina next year and joining Peace Corps after graduating from Lehigh.
Women and International Health Sofia Covarrubias
Sofia is senior pursuing a double major in Anthropology and Sociology and minors in French and Women's Studies. This is her first year working at the Women’s Center. She will be an intern for the entire academic year. Sofia’s main focus this year will be Women and International Health. She will be coordinating events with a global focus on women and gender issues as well as trips to briefings at the United Nations which will be followed by a group discussion. During the spring semester she will coordinate the Women’s Center participation at the Commission for the Status of Women (UN Women) which takes place in New York City by the end of February and March. At Lehigh she is involved with Global Union; she serves as a Youth-Delegate through the Lehigh-United Nations Partnership and is part of the Epitome Yearbook staff. Sofia was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico and is fluent in Spanish, English and French.
Bandana Project, Break The Silence, Walk A Mile Sarah Santos
This is Sara’s first semester working directly in the Women’s Center as an intern. She is pursuing a double major in Sociology and Women’s Studies. The focus of her internship will be The Bandana Project, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, and compiling the evaluations of SATISFY. As part of her Chapter’s Philanthropy (Sexual Violence Awareness) these programs will be brought into our campus alongside other programs with that focus. Sara is also involved in Break the Silence, the sexual violence education peer resource group on Lehigh’s campus. She is also involved in the Rainbow Room, Multicultural Greek Council, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc , and the Orientation Staff for the past two years.
Women and Therapy
Naomi David
Naomi is a senior Psychology major with minors in Political Science and Creative Writing. This is her second year working in the Women?s Center. She has helped in various events and spent her first year co-leading the discussion series, Hot Button Topics and a Hot Cup of Tea. This fall, she is starting a female therapeutic support group, which allows participants to discuss designated topics in a tolerant, open forum. She is accompanied in the group by Dr. Kreider, a psychologist from Lehigh?s counseling center. Naomi also enjoys restocking and sampling the candy bowl in the Women?s Center.
In addition to the Women?s Center, Naomi is involved with other activities on campus. She is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta, President of Psychology Club, member of Off The Record A Cappella, barista at the Lehigh Bookstore?s Café, and completing her psychology honors thesis, in which she is studying the quality of sibling relationships compared with social adjustment in college.
Lastly, Naomi is from Naperville, Illinois and loves the Chicago Bears!
WC Graduate Assistant
Lavanya Devdas
Middle School Curriculum, Co-Producer Vagina Monologues
Joelle Dorskind
Nurse Family Parntership Monique "Mo" Golden
Junior
Hello everyone! I am so glad to be in my second year as a volunteer in the Women’s Center. I mainly work on the Nurse Family Partnership Fundraiser alongside Eddie Brack in the Fall Semester. You can also catch me decorating and working on other projects in the Center. I’m usually in the Women’s Center at night, so stop by when you can!
Body Image, Domestic Violence Awareness Month Allison Howard
This is Allison's first year working for the Women's Center. As a student athlete on the track and field team, Allison is very interested in issues involving women in sports. Allison leads a monthly women's health discussion series and is a new member of Break The Silence . She also does random, basic tasks around the Center. In addition to working for the Women's Center and competing on the track team, Allison is a bioengineering major who strives to finish her homework before Friday. Her hobbies include: riding her bike (which she left at home in Baldwin, KS), surfing the web, and laughing/making people laugh.
Take Back The Night
Katie Johnston
Katie Johnston has been working in the Women's Center for three years, and is a member of Break the Silence. She is currently working on a photo activism project she is bringing to Lehigh University through the New View Campaign. She has worked on projects such as the Gender Equity Awards, the Clothesline Projects, and was a co-coordinator of 2011 Take Back the Night. As an intern, Katie conducted qualitative research on the identification of feminism by the men at Lehigh work work against sexual violence on campus. Katie is graduating this year with Women's Studies and Biology major and a minor in Health, Medicine, and Society.
The Vagina Monologues, Body Image Curriculum
Rebecca Kelley
Born in raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, her journey to Lehigh was an exciting and invigorating experience. She's excited for the opportunity to be working for the Women's Center as her first on-campus job and is looking forward to learning from all of the wonderful women that make Lehigh such an inviting community.
She is freshmen living in McConn. Her intended major is Earth and Environmental Sciences, She plays for the club volleyball team at Lehigh.
Body Image, Gender Violence Awareness
Danielle Popow
I am a senior Social Psych major and History minor from Toms River, NJ. I am working on a feminist-based thesis this year as my capstone project and my general focus of interest lay in the topics of women's health, gender violence, and body image. This is my first year working at the Women's Center, and I love working with and being surrounded by like-minded, strong, interesting and involved people. I am also a part of the WAVES group. Outside of class and work I am a member of Zeta Tau Alpha, Lehigh’s newest sorority. I love to dance and travel, I love nature, and warm sunny places are my favorite to visit. I hope to contribute a lot to the fabulous programs we will be involved in or hosting this year, and to take what I learn from the WC with me wherever I may end up after Lehigh.
Emily Prendergast
My name is Emily Prendergast and I am a freshman at Lehigh. I was born and raised in Staten Island, New York. I currently live in Emery. I am in the College of Business and Economics but undecided in my major. I am also a member of the Club Lacrosse Team here at Lehigh.
I’m excited for the opportunity, this semester, to be working at Lehigh’s Women’s Center. I joined the Women’s Center because I am interested in learning about and advocating for women both on and off campus. I also am glad to be a part of the Women’s Center because it allows me to see the marketing aspect of planning events which will help in deciding what I want to major in. I am looking forward to helping with Women’s Center events and urging others to get involved as well.
WC Blog, WAVES, Co-Producer Vagina Monologues
Noelle Smart
Noelle Smart is a senior at Lehigh, pursuing a B.A. in Women’s Studies with a minor in Health, Medicine, and Society. She is actively involved on campus as a member of Break the Silence, an executive board member of the Marching 97, and a staff member of the Women's Center, the Rainbow Room, and the Alumni Association. Her upcoming projects include: serving an internship for MasculinityU; co-producing V-Day Lehigh 2012; working as a student organizer for “A Week Without Violence” and the Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley Candlelight Vigil; and conducting an independent study on LGBTQI survivors of sexual and domestic violence and analyzing how these topics are addressed in anti-violence initiatives in higher education.
