History

In the spring of 2000, a small group of W&L women cooperatively developed a unique organization for the benefit of female undergraduate leaders. That organization became KEWL, Knowledge Empowering Women Leaders. The University of Richmond’s Women Involved in Living and Learning (WILL) program served as a model for W&L’s leadership endeavor. Faculty, administrators and students from WILL visited this campus and gave presentations about their women's studies courses, gender-related programs, summer internships, and student-run leadership organization. Also in the spring of 2000, the Women’s Studies Program was approved by the faculty, and the first interdisciplinary course in Women’s Studies was co-taught by Professors Domnica Radulescu (Romance Languages) and Julie Woodzicka (Psychology). KEWL members became able to contemplate women’s and gender issues through their academic work as well as in their public activism and in their personal lives. Since its formation in 2000, KEWL has continued to become a more visible, vigorous force in the campus conversation regarding women’s issues. One great success was the campaign to encourage selection committees to consider hiring women into top dean’s positions. After that campaign, the administration hired two women in important roles always held previously by men: Dr. Dawn Watkins as Dean of Students and Dr. Jeanine Stewart as Interim Dean of the College. Recently, KEWL announced its merger with Women's Forum creating a single dynamic women's group on campus.  As a subcommittee of KEWL, Women's Forum will continue to host its entertaining and thought-provoking discussions (Fratboys, Froyo and the Fitness Center, Chick Lit - What's That Supposed to Mean?, etc.) and publish the women's literary magazine, She Says.  The 04-05 school year promises to bring more exciting developments in KEWL's short but eventful history.