Goshen Student Women’s Association, commonly referred to as GSWA, has been a staple on Goshen College campus for as long as anyone can remember. In October 1984, an article on the popular club published in the Record described it as “a resource group for women on campus by offering support to women and advocating women’s issues.” 33 years later, this description still rings true, albeit some minor shifts in the club’s direction. The current leaders of GSWA are seniors Jenae Longenecker and Riley Mills and sophomores Corrie Osborne and Emily Hilton-Nickel. There is a common interest among the leadership in...

By Lucia Nisly • October 26, 2017 • Features

For the second year in a row, Goshen Monologues is offering follow-ups – safe forums for students, faculty and staff to reflect on Saturday night’s performance. Goshen Monologues, founded four years ago, is an event where women and non-binary students, faculty and staff perform anonymously submitted monologues about racism, sexism, immigration, depression, identity and more. Although Anya Slabaugh, a senior, has been the driving force behind implementing the talk backs, the Monologues steering committee, made up of Sarah Hofkamp, Lea Ramer and Slabaugh, seniors, Marie Bontrager, junior, Hannah Friesen, sophomore and Rachael Klink, a first-year, unanimously agreed that they needed...

By Abby King • March 16, 2017 • News

In two weeks, it will be International Women’s Day. The official International Women’s Day website describes the day, Mar. 8, as “a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women,” as well as “a call to action for accelerating gender parity.” To celebrate the day, Goshen College will be putting on a convocation that same day and a special photo gallery event a few weeks later on Mar. 24. The photo gallery event is called “An Evening of Color.” “I’ve been wanting to do something for International Women’s Day for a number of years, but I...

By Josh Stoltzfus • February 23, 2017 • Features

Throughout this week, the Goshen Student Women’s Association (GSWA) is sponsoring Healthy Bodies Week (HBW): a series of events celebrating physical, emotional, mental and interpersonal health for students on campus. “On campus, there isn’t always space given for positive body talk and for personal exploration through facilitated discussion or workshops,” says Riley Mills, a third year communications major. Mills is one of the five GSWA leaders involved with planning the events. “HBW is a really cool, unique opportunity for people to get together and learn about others’ views on bodies, whether the focus be gender-identification or how to stay mentally...

By Ellen Conrad • February 9, 2017 • News

Millions of people across the globe gathered to march in support of women, with Goshen College students in the midst. The main march was in Washington D.C., with sister marches across the nation and in other countries including France, India and even Antarctica. These marches are estimated to have been the biggest march in U.S. history with nearly 2.9 million people gathering in the U.S. alone. Students from GC were able to attend the marches in D.C, Indianapolis, South Bend and Chicago. Among the students who went to D.C. were Lena Charles and Katie Hurst, both juniors. “I have always...

By Elsa Lantz • January 26, 2017 • News

This coming Saturday, Jan. 21, people across the United States will be participating in the Women’s March on Washington. This march is planned to take place in major cities all around the U.S., the day after President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sworn into office. The goal of the Women’s March on Washington is to make heard the voices of those threatened by the rhetoric of the winning candidate of this past election cycle: women, Muslims, members of the LGBTQ+ community and many more. “It is also a statement that equality matters to more than just ‘feminists,’” said Beth...

By Josh Stoltzfus • January 19, 2017 • News

This Friday, students will move in procession across campus with candles in hand to support survivors of sexual violence. Goshen Student Women’s Association (GSWA) will be hosting Take Back the Night – an event that hopes to help the women of Goshen College reclaim their position on campus and demand safety from sexual violence for all students. “It’s about saying that as women, we are here on campus,” said Mimi Salvador, one of the many leaders of GSWA. “And we recognize that women here come from many different cultural backgrounds. We want to acknowledge all women for who they are,...

By Abby King • September 29, 2016 • News

This week is Sexual Violence Awareness Week (SVAW) on the Goshen College campus. Led by different members of Goshen Student Women’s Association (GSWA), an event has been held each day of the week to raise awareness, spark conversation and show solidarity in regards to sexual violence. On Monday night, students worked to set up the Clothesline Project in Schrock Plaza. This project, which has been set up in years past on GC’s campus, allows students to “air out their dirty laundry.” Originally started in 1990 to address the issue of violence against women, the project provides a space for women...

By Maddie Birky • September 29, 2016 • News

“Hear my prayer, O Lord. Let my cry for help come to you.” “I am tired of being afraid.” “We will not be silent.” “Where was god that night?” “She no longer hangs her head in silence – her chin is up. She no longer hides her missing teeth – her beautiful smile shines. Her confidence will rise.” “I am stronger than vengeance. I am stronger than hatred. I am not allowing what you did to define who I am. I am strong enough to forgive you.” These are the stories of our mothers, our sisters, our friends, our peers,...

By Hayley Mann • September 29, 2016 • Features

On Sunday March 20, the third annual Goshen Monologues presented a series of 44 true stories shared by female and non-binary students, staff and faculty. Like last year, the Monologues were performed in the College Mennonite Church Sanctuary in anticipation of the crowd that they have generated throughout the previous two years. The Monologues Committee strongly encourages women around the Goshen College campus to submit their stories anonymously via email, campus mail or an anonymous forum. After the cut-off date for submissions during the fall semester, these stories are then edited into a script and performed. According to Prashansa Dickson,...

By Lexa Magnuson • March 31, 2016 • News

The Goshen Student Women’s Association, better known as GSWA, is a very involved group on campus. From Chocolate House to Goshen Monologues, this club works to promote women and non-binary people along with their stories and talents while providing a safe space for those people on campus. This year, GSWA is led by four women: Elizabeth Franks-North, Prashansa Dickson, Riley Mills and Natalie Thorne. Franks-North is a senior English and secondary education major. She has been involved in GSWA for three years, and has been leading GSWA since this last fall. She does a lot of the administrative work for...

By Christi Sessa • March 31, 2016 • Features

With Newcomer 19 packed full, women, non-binary students and allies joined together for a night of performance and chocolate on Saturday. Chocolate House, the informal talent show hosted by the Goshen Student Women’s Association, provided a way for students to celebrate and support the talents of the women and non-binary students on campus, while allies brought snacks to share. “This year in particular, Chocolate House was an incredibly loving and supportive environment for all of our talented women and non-binary students, both those who performed and those who have talents outside of what was on stage,” said Elizabeth Franks-North, a...

By Jordan Waidelich • February 4, 2016 • News

Amid the busyness of midterms, women of Goshen College were given the opportunity to take a step back and reflect. Around 20 GC women participated in a spiritual development workshop called Sister Care which was held at College Mennonite Church this past weekend. The workshop ran from 7-9 on Friday, October 9, and 9-3 on Saturday, October 10. Throughout the workshop, food was provided by many local churches. Much of the weekend was spent discussing Christian faith and women’s issues, particularly self-care and compassionate listening. Beth Martin Birky, professor of English and women’s and gender studies, who helped bring the...

By Maddie Birky • October 15, 2015 • News

This past Tuesday, April 14, Goshen Monologues held its second performance. 65 women performed stories about bodies, relationships, sexual assault, womanhood and sexuality. The stories were collected from anonymous submissions from Goshen College women and then turned into a script for the performance. The pieces, though performed by actors, focused on the stories that were being told. Performers wore black and grey clothing and did not bow after the performance. In an interview with Ariel Ropp, communication specialist for Goshen College, Anna Van der Zwaag, a senior molecular biology/biochemistry major from Worthington, Ohio and a member of the Goshen Monologues...

By Briana Schrock • April 16, 2015 • News

The Goshen Student Women’s Association’s (GSWA) annual Chocolate House took place on Sunday and was, once again, an enriching experience for men and women alike. Along with the talents of the women of the Goshen College community was a chocolate feast for all. Chocolate House is one of the many events hosted by GSWA throughout the school year, but what makes this event unique is that both males and females are invited. One of GSWA’s leaders this year, Eva Lapp, a senior, said that the talent show is “a time and place for women to share songs, poems, dance, stories...

By Katie Hurst • November 13, 2014 • Features