Women*s Center

The Women*s Center was founded in 1971 by some of the Princeton’s first undergraduate women. Today, it resides in the Frist Campus Center and is staffed by a full-time director and program coordinator, as well as by student workers. Building upon a legacy of fierce activism and advocacy, the Center incorporates a commitment to inclusive and intersectional feminism: an approach that centers equity and racial justice, particularly for people of marginalized identities.

An asterisk within or next to a word can indicate that there’s something more to learn. It may signify an omission, a caveat, or might direct the reader to additional information. The Center has replaced its apostrophe with an asterisk to suggest that we are much more than our name implies: the Center is not just for women nor is it just about women. Instead, the Center welcomes and engages persons of all genders, including genderqueer, nonconforming, transgender folks, and cisgender men.

The Women*s Center’s activities are organized around six themes: developing leadership, promoting holistic health, building community, mentoring and empowering, advocating for students, and educating and training.

Through workshops, mentorship programs, engagement with the arts, and speaker and discussion series, the Center engages students and other members of the University community in dialogue about and analysis of the role gender plays in shaping all of our lives. The Center’s staff strives to support its constituents in recognizing systems that reproduce inequity in the present while working to create a more just future.

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Photo of the Women*s Center logo

""“It’s inspiring to look up at the wall of [Princeton] women [showcased in the Women*s Center] like Michelle Obama, Toni Morrison, and Sonia Sotomayor who came before us. The Center’s staff have taken my ideas seriously, listened carefully and compassionately, and provided generous support.” — Katherine Fleming ‘19

Programs, Events and Initiatives

Princeton women's history display

Current Princeton women posing as a group

Princeton Women's Alliance

The Women*s Center sponsors this student-run organization whose mission is to “challenge harmful gender norms that shape our lived experiences by creating spaces for feminist discourse and promote the voices of women and gender nonconforming people.” Recent collaborations include “Belonging: An Undergraduate Conference on Gender Studies” and regular Coffee Chats with Princeton staff and faculty members.

Women*s Recognition Brunch

Every spring, the Center invites undergraduates to identify women students who have made an impact in their lives, irrespective of leadership position or role within an organization. Nominees and nominators are brought together in a community-wide brunch to recognize and celebrate these influential peers and their work on campus.

Boss Lady

In collaboration with the Center for Career Development's Princeternship Program and the Office of Regional Affairs, the Women*s Center provides opportunities for a student to spend a day shadowing a local woman head-of-business at her workplace -- nonprofit organization, law practice, architecture firm, specialty food shop, and more. Through this program, students see what it is like to be the woman in charge.

Anti-Racist Dialogue Group

The Center supports a monthly group led by, and geared toward, white staff members who explore the relationship between gender inequality and white supremacy. Discussion topics include Definition and History of Systemic Racism, and Inclusive Feminist Practices.

Feminist Fridays

Bi-weekly Friday afternoon get-together where students can relax and wind-down while discussing topical gender or feminism-related issues.

Community Mentorship

The Center partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County and Princeton High School to offer a mentorship program between Princeton University staff women and Princeton High School girls. The pairs meet twice per month on campus for lunch and enrichment activities. Some examples include workshops on Goal-Setting, Preparing for College, and Body Acceptance.

Friendship Series

Students have shared that they often find making friends and maintaining long-term friendships challenging in today’s digital world. The Center hosts regular dinner discussions that feature two or more long-term friends who candidly discuss the joys and challenges of building and sustaining their relationship over time. Topics include Male Friendship and Maintaining a Work- Based Friendship.

“It's one thing to say that this is an inclusive campus, and another to have spaces like the Women*s Center that actively show you that you are welcomed and accepted for exactly who you are.” - Vayne Ong ‘20

Women in STEM Mentorship

The Center will launch a mentorship program to support and build community between and among graduate and undergraduate STEM women and provide regular opportunities for informal dialogue with women faculty in STEM fields.

Healthy Masculinity Series

In partnership with the Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resource & Education (SHARE) Office and the Men’s Allied Voices for a Respectful & Inclusive Community (MAVRIC) Project, the Women*s Center hosts conversations about healthy masculinity and violence prevention. These discussions have engaged students, staff, and faculty of all gender identities in needed dialogue about toxic masculinity, healthy manhood, and masculinity in athletics.

"The Women's Center staff are some of the most caring and helpful people I know. Amada and Anna are committed to providing a diverse and safe space for woman-identified and nonbinary students on campus to find community and support as well as working toward a campus where people of all genders feel valued and respected." -- Rae Keazer ‘20