The purpose of the Jane Kopas Women’s Center (JKWC) is to advance an environment in which women and men can live and work together in equality, understanding and mutual respect. The Center works to increase awareness of gender issues and thus promote personal growth and whole-person development among students, faculty and staff. The Center strengthens the sense of shared purpose throughout the University by addressing gender issues on campus and working to ensure the integration of women into every facet of the University’s community. It contributes to Scranton’s commitment to community service and social justice by providing leadership and resources on gender issues.

The Jane Kopas Women’s Center serves the students, staff, and faculty of the University. The Center’s mission is threefold:

(1) to offer educational programs on topics related to women, gender, and feminist theories,

(2) to develop women as lifelong learners and confident leaders through skill training, educational opportunities, advocacy training, and a women’s leadership program, and

(3) to encourage service through collaborative projects between the campus and Scranton communities.

The Center provides a safe and comfortable gathering place and a unique forum for discussion about the connection between academics and the feminist movement. Women and men are encouraged to utilize the print, audio, and video resources for class research and personal growth opportunities.

JKWC and the Jesuit Mission

In order to overcome “the legacy of systematic discrimination against women,” described in the Jesuits’ 34^th Congregation document, the Center was founded in 1994 to empower women to reach their fullest potential. Scranton recognizes, however, that gender discrimination affects men and women. Therefore, we recognize the need for both women and men to work together for gender equality. The Center respects cultural and racial diversity as an expression of this commitment to equality, working to dismantle the internal and external structures of discrimination in order to develop new models for gender equality and justice. The Women’s Center is uniquely positioned to fulfill the University’s promised commitment to social justice. Social justice is not merely the understanding of a need; it requires action. We participate in continuing education on social justice issues and we develop initiatives intended to respond to the often-repeated student query, “So what do we do?” We view this as the most vital step in social justice work – connecting awareness to a plan of action. Both components are imperative if the University is to educate and model how to become “men and women for others.”