In the early 1970s, Penn was a university in transition.
A Haven for Half a Century
Bolstered by philanthropy, the Penn Women’s Center is celebrating 50 years of community, education, and advocacy
Published: June 18, 2024
The campus was expanding west beyond 38th street. Cultural movements in civil rights and feminist liberation resulted in the University’s first course in Black history and the launch of the Women’s Studies program in 1973. That same year, the Penn Women’s Center (PWC) was founded as a safe space for women on campus to promote gender equity.
“The Penn Women’s Center was being built as I graduated,” says Barbara Saidel, CW’73, G’77, WG’79. “What started off as a supportive and safe place for women at Penn has evolved to become an inclusive community for anybody who walks through their doors.”
Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the PWC is one of the oldest women’s centers in the country. Led by director Elisa Foster and supported in part by philanthropy, the PWC team includes a compassionate group of staff and student coordinators who promote gender justice and aim to empower visitors. “The PWC has been at the forefront of the fight for women’s rights and gender justice since its inception,” says Foster.
Recently, the Class of 1973 decided to support the Penn Women’s Center as part of their 50th reunion class gift. “In 2023, our class wanted to support an initiative that signified the changes that happened during our time on campus,” says Class President Bill Keller, C’73, PAR’23. “While meeting with the PWC leadership, we learned that additional funding could support more programs and events that took place in their beloved kitchen space. We were happy to make that happen.”
During a “Study Break” event in May, the Women’s Center was bustling with activity. Students made candles in the sustainable kitchen and noshed on homemade cookies, while others organized flower bouquets to bring home. “Events like this are a bit more light-hearted and a good distraction during reading days,” says Nicol Paulino, C’25, a student program assistant who is also a Penn Anti-Violence Educator and a Reach-A-Peer volunteer. In the back garden patio, still more students gathered to pet dogs and catch up. Beyond programming, the Center also serves students, staff, and faculty by offering confidential counseling; community spaces for studying, relaxation, and meetings; and a lactation room for nursing parents that includes a hospital-grade breast pump.
Students pose with shea butter during a self-care event that centered the Black community at the Penn Women’s Center during Women’s History Month.
“The gift from the Class of 1973 enabled us to expand our food-based programming, which is very popular,” says Hannah Goldberg, C’22, a former student coordinator who went on to work at the Center full-time. “It meant we could offer workshops on herbal tea for wellness, local honey and beekeeping, and cooking.” During a reception to celebrate the gift from the Class of 1973, alumni and students got the chance to learn from each other. “It was an honor to hear about this history from some of the people who lived it and were influential in creating this space,” continues Goldberg.
There is still work to be done at PWC. “We’re building community here that is beautiful and necessary,” says Foster. She would like to create an overall endowment for the Center to bolster support for student organizations and staffing, and find the resources to manage the realities of a charming, but aging, space. “Issues like gender equity, financial wellness, personal wellness, violence prevention, and safe spaces aren’t just women’s issues,” says Foster. “Supporting the Penn Women’s Center can really make an outsize impact.”
To support PWC, contact Elisa Foster via email or at (215) 898-8611.
