In honor of Women’s History Month, the Fairfield University Student’s Association welcomed community members to the Women’s Clinic on Monday, March 25 in the Lower Level of the Barone Campus Center.
The Women’s Clinic offered “on and off-campus resources that can be used to nurture ourselves – mind, body and spirit,” states FUSA President Aliyah Seenauth ‘24.
“Because it’s a Women’s History Event, I proposed that the Women’s Clinic incorporate other aspects of women’s health instead of just physical and mental health—I wanted a holistic approach to health, which is why we included services like the Dimenna Nyselius Library and the Office of Student Diversity and Multicultural Awareness.”
In addition to those organizations, Stag’s Hospitality included a table promoting body positivity, and Counseling and Psychological Services were in attendance, as well as the Women’s Health Clinic, a part of the Health Center which offered flyers promoting free and confidential walk-in STI testing.
Another off-campus organization, The Center for Family Justice attended the event. Campus Sexual Violence Advocate Marisa Paquette describes their presence at the event.
“Our table [is here] today to provide information on domestic and sexual violence services to students so they’re aware of us as a resource. When women know about the resources around them, they are empowered to speak up for themselves knowing they will have support,” she states.
Student-led clubs also attended in order to fulfill FUSA’s goal of creating an event with a “holistic approach to caring for oneself as a woman”
President Rienna Pepaj ‘26 and Vice-President Lily Reilly ‘26 of the Women’s Activism Club share their goal for the event: “We’re here to raise awareness for our club which is a space to bring together Fairfield University students who are passionate about social justice and activism as it pertains to women’s rights.”
Women’s Activism Club is new to campus, but it is beginning to make an impact on the campus community and will be “throwing ‘Pajamas against the Patriarchy,’ a movie night showing ‘Barbie’” on Wednesday, April 17 in Gonzaga Auditorium from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Additionally, the Women in STEM Club made their presence known. “We’re here today to inspire women to never give up on whatever they want to do,” says President Jill O’Brien ‘25. “We want to create a sense of community for women who are pursuing a career in STEM, a field in which they are historically underrepresented in,” she concludes.
Senior Jackie Campbell represented Girl Up Club, “a United Nations Foundation organization that supports girls’ education through 12th grade globally,” she states. “There are many obstacles to girls’ education in countries such as Guatemala, Malawi and Tanzania that we seek to mediate through fundraisers and projects,” she continues. “We also work directly within the community to raise awareness around issues that prevent girls’ education.”
The Women’s Clinic also served as a donation drive, in which The Alumni of Color Network hosted and accepted Feminine Hygiene products to benefit the Center for Family Justice.
Seeanuth includes that FUSA is “also celebrating the approval of free menstrual product dispensers in the bathrooms throughout campus.” She adds, “We now made them free, but we also changed them to high-quality products as well.”
In addition to hosting the inaugural Women’s Clinic and the success it experienced, Seeanuth looks to the future of the event. “I look forward to having a stronger variety of local off campus resources that fit the theme and mission of holistic care for women,” she states.
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