Women helping women

Resilience and empowerment set the theme in Cunningham Hall as the staff of the UW Women's Center works together on a common goal. The center, celebrating 25 years of service this year, is a useful tool for all students looking for aid on campus.

"We serve 13,000 men and women annually," executive director Sutapa Basu said.

The center strives to make a difference by working together to make changes happen in social-justice issues concerning violence against women.

"Even today, violence is rampant against women all over the world," Basu said.

This does not mean, however that men are not welcome to help fight the cause.

"We do not discriminate," Basu said. "Men and women can come together to address the issues."

The center recently held a violence prevention conference on Nov. 1, led by Jackson Katz, founder of Boston-based Real Men, and Michael Kaufman, of the White Ribbon Campaign. They spoke about what they could do, as men, to help stop violence against women, according Basu.

In addition to working against domestic violence, the center also offers a variety of classes on home and garden, fitness, personal enrichment, financial success, health and wellness, professional development, language and travel, creative arts, academic success, divorce and writing.

The classes, held in the evenings and on weekends, are designed to help empower women and to help prepare them for college. Classes are taught by both UW professors and professors from other institutions, including community colleges.

Most of the classes are located on campus and UW affiliation is not required. These are noncredit classes and they range anywhere from five to more than 100 people per class.

The center also offers support groups for women coming back to school or women entering higher education for the first time.

Nancy Finelli, re-entry program/continuing education coordinator, works with these women.

She helps students adjust to college life and helps to familiarize them with the campus in hopes of giving them a better educational experience.

"I guide them to help create a path to further their education," Finelli said.

Finelli's services are free and open to anyone who would like to use them.

Attending the UW for the first time can be a little overwhelming, especially if a student is returning to school after taking several years off. Finelli works to dispel the fear many students may have.

"I try to break it down to small steps so that it doesn't overwhelm them," she said.

The re-entry/continuing education program also offers support groups for students who would like to talk with other students facing similar issues.

Finelli also seeks out instructors to teach the courses offered at the center and comes up with new class ideas.

"I find out what students are interested in by looking at topics on the forefront today and current events," she said.

Another important part of the center's programs is their work with female high-school students. Jo Anderson, associate director of making connections, runs the High-School Outreach Program.

Anderson targets women and minorities who come from economically challenged backgrounds at local high schools and provides them with college preparation and career information. Anderson stresses however that anyone can be involved if they wish to be.

"We don't turn anyone away," she said.

The outreach program offers high-school students mentoring, college prep sessions, workshops which are run by various departments here on campus, and provides their parents with financial-aid information.

The program operates on a monthly basis year-round and focuses on a very hands-on atmosphere.

"I try to engage every student," Anderson said.

The women are also encouraged to pursue careers in math, science and technology because evidence shows that they are still lacking in those areas in comparison to men, according to Basu.

Anderson welcomes graduate students who would like to help out with mentoring, especially those studying law or psychology.

"We are pretty excited by the things we are doing but we are stretched because we always want to do more," said Sharon Fisher, assistant to the director.

Fisher does all the little things that are essential to keep the center running. She supervises the work-study staff, coordinates background help, helps out with the Continuing Education Program, handles e-mails, and deals with publication services. She is currently looking for a marketing student and a fiscal assistant to help lighten her load.

"It's a great place to work and it's good for undergraduate students," she said.

The UW is only responsible for 20 percent of the funding for the center. The remainder of the funding comes from money that is generated through programs and fundraisers.

"We work really hard for the other 80 percent," Basu said.

Basu is a very busy woman; in addition to her role as the executive director of the center, she is also an affiliate assistant professor of women studies. Her small stature clashes with the big projects she has taken on.

She will spend the next two months in India working on a study dealing with the trafficking of women and children for prostitution.

Even with so much on her plate, Basu seems calm. Not even the endless phone calls and e-mails in her busy schedule can rattle a woman who appears incredibly passionate about her work and changes she hopes to make through her journey.

Anyone interested in taking classes, attending support groups, applying for a job or seeking help through any of the programs, can contact the Women's Center by phone 685-1090, or by e-mail, womens@u.washington.edu.