Student Organizations

Women and Gender Studies offers a variety of student organizations to complement the program including the Clarion VDay Project, Women United, Pregnancy & Parenting Resources Initiative, and Iota, Iota, Iota Women and Gender Studies Honorary.

Clarion VDay Project

The Clarion VDay Project seeks to spread awareness about and gain support for VDay: Until the Violence Stops, the global movement to stop violence against women and children founded by Eve Ensler.   We sponsor and support collaborative activism and educational and fundraising initiatives at the local level, that include men in all aspects, with particular attention to the development of student leadership. Both women and men are welcome to join our project, created at Clarion University in partnership with community agencies, PASSAGES, Inc. and SAFE.   

Women United

The primary purpose of Women United is to unite diverse students of Clarion University to discuss the social issues of race, gender and class that we are faced with every day.  We encourage partnerships and collaborations that focus on improving mental, physical and spiritual health. We plan to motivate students to go out into our campus and communities and do community service to enhance their awareness of the needs of others and to utilize their academic achievement. We also plan to attend motivational and educational programs and conferences that will give us the knowledge base for diversifying ourselves and learning about students of other cultures and races.

Pregnancy and Parenting Resources Initiative

The Pregnancy and Parenting Resources Initiative at Clarion University is a development that originated initially in dialogues among Students for Life, the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, and Women United, on the topic of abortion. In the attempt to find common ground, all agreed that servicing the unmet needs of pregnant and parenting students was essential. PPRI promotes services for pregnant and parenting students.

PPRI is not intended to be a representative of pro-life or pro-choice. It is only intended to provide students with resources if they are pregnant.

 Our primary purposes and mission are:

• to support pregnant and parenting students at Clarion as they strive to attain a college education;
• to advocate for these students in the areas of advising, housing, childcare, healthcare, resource identification and financial aid;
• to organize parenting workshops and social and professional networking opportunities.

Iota, Iota, Iota, Women and Gender Studies Honorary

The Theta chapter of Iota, Iota, Iota was founded at Clarion University in 1999 by Jennifer Niemczyk, Rachael Busch, and Jennie Seigler. Triota is named for three ancient goddesses; Inanna, known as the queen of land, the source of the earth's life blood; Ishtar, the light of the world, lawgiver, bold teller of truth; and Isis, the creator, giver of life, the mother.

Our chapter joins eight others nationwide working toward national recognition by the Association of College Honor Societies. Triota encourages and supports excellence in WGS scholarship and social justice activism. Additionally, this chapter strives to promote interest in WGS related activities that celebrate the diversity of women's experience and gender expression.

Membership is open to students in good academic standing who have completed 12 hours of Women's Studies courses with a QPA of 3.5. Evidence of social justice activism also will be considered. Initiation is held each spring.