About Us
The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) at San Diego State University is a brave and inclusive community that advocates for gender equity and social justice. The WRC team uplifts women and gender expansive individuals in programming and efforts to create a campus culture rooted in intersectional feminism, empowerment, and holistic student support. The WRC strives to challenge the gender binary, trans-exclusion, racism and anti-Blackness by centering the needs of our multiply marginalized community members through a trauma-informed lens.
- Intersectional Feminist Education
- Academic Support
- Leadership Development
- Community and Coalition Building
- Identity Exploration
- Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention
The Women’s Resource Center at San Diego State was established in 1974 by a coalition of women’s organizations on campus. Intended to serve as a link between the campus and the larger San Diego community, the Center offered a variety of programs and services for women students, including lectures, films, and workshops on topics such as career building, nutrition, entrepreneurship, and family issues. It also served as a resource and referral center, connecting women students with health clinics, support organizations, help centers, bookstores, legal services, and cultural programs. Informal peer counseling and referral counseling was available for students in need on a regularly scheduled basis. The Center maintained a small library of materials written by and for women, as well as consulting files of pamphlets, brochures, and flyers from a variety of organizations for women. Funded by the Associated Students, the Center had a small paid staff, as well as interns and volunteers. In addition to a film festival for women, the Center ran an annual Women’s Health Fair and Take Back the Night events, and coordinated a standing Rape Task Force on campus.
After a period of dormancy, the Center was reinvigorated and became the Andrea O’Donnell Women’s Outreach Association (WOA) in honor of a Women’s Studies major and Center student leader who was murdered by her boyfriend in 1995.
In July of 2014, a state audit found that SDSU faculty and staff were not properly trained to address sexual violence. Shortly thereafter, several high profile sexual violence cases took place on and near the SDSU campus. In response to this, WOA coordinated a march in protest of intimate partner violence. During the march, students walked down “fraternity row,” where a fraternity acted inappropriately and disrespectfully toward the marchers. As a result of these incidents, “Concerned Students of SDSU Members” presented a list of demands that included the opening of a Women’s Resource Center, and providing ongoing support, funding, and staffing to sexual violence programs. In 2015, the WRC opened and was temporarily housed in the Center for Intercultural Relations. In February of 2015, the WRC had its official grand opening!
Today, we are thrilled to honor the legacy of the WRC, and the students who worked hard to create a campus where women and marginalized folks could thrive.
Meet Our Staff
Elzbeth received a BA in Ethnic Studies from UC San Diego, and an MA in Postsecondary Educational Leadership with a Specialization in Student Affairs from SDSU. She began working at the WRC in 2017, and is honored to continue being a part of such an empowering, loving, and resilient space. Outside of her work at the WRC, Elzbeth is also a part of the SDSU Latina Network, and she has the privilege of being their Vice Chair. She is most passionate about intersectionality, mental health, body politics, and feminist mentorship. On a personal note, Elzbeth adores hamsters, inspirational quotes, and iced coffee.
Alex Aikyo received her BS in Advertising from the University of Colorado Boulder and her MA in Higher Education Student Affairs from the University of Connecticut. Her work in university Women's Centers at an undergraduate, graduate, and professional level has fueled a lifelong passion for building feminist, anti-racist, and trauma-informed spaces within higher education. Outside of the WRC, you can find Alex drawing comics, taking naps with her dog, trying out new recipes, or geeking out about queerness in animation and video games.
Amanda Beardsley received her Ph.D. in Art History from Binghamton University in 2019 and is a lecturer in Women’s Studies at San Diego State University. She has taught courses and written on the intersection between science and religion, feminist media theory and history, community activism, art history, and gender and sound studies. She has recently published articles in Technology and Culture and Nineteenth Century Studies that address the gendered implications of architectural acoustics and visual media within American religion. Amanda is a fan of cats, sci-fi, and the beach.
Celeste is a proud, queer, bi-racial, child of immigrants and first gen scholar. Celeste received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Cal Poly Pomona and a Master's in Higher Education from University of North Carolina, Greensboro. Their passion to pursue a student affairs career began with their involvement in identity-based student organizations and peer mentorship programs. Celeste is most passionate about intersectionality, mental health, mentorship, and intergenerational healing. In their free time they like to daydream in bookshops where they almost never leaves empty handed, and spend quality time with their loved ones, often over a meal.
Meet our Graduate Assistants
Avi Chahal
Tess Kossoff
Meet our Feminist Peer Educators
Alexis Primo
Angelica Castillo
Manasvi Dotiyal
Meet our WAGE Mentors
Ainsley Perez
Carmen Penaloza Valdez
Ila Pecus
Maddi Carter
Samina Laguna
