How to Get Involved with the CSWS Community at the University of Oregon

You can get involved with the Center for the Study of Women in Society (CSWS) by joining its community as an affiliate, friend, or community member, attending events like the Fall Open House and the Feminist Futures Roundtable, and taking part in initiatives that foster networking, collaboration, and mentorship. The center also invites people to follow and share its research through its media channels. These routes suit anyone—students, faculty, and off-campus community members—interested in feminist scholarship on gender identities and inequalities at the University of Oregon.

Start by Understanding What CSWS Does

CSWS has funded feminist scholarship at the University of Oregon for five decades. Its stated mission is to create, fund, share, and support research addressing the complicated nature of gender identities and inequalities. Faculty and student affiliates generate wide-ranging research on women's lives and intersecting gender identities, and the center disseminates that work to scholars, educators, the public, policymakers, and activists.

That mission shapes how you can plug in: as a participant in events, as an affiliate or supporter, or as an audience for research.

Join the CSWS Community

The homepage's main call to action is "Join the CSWS community," framed around affiliates, friends, and community members. The page describes CSWS members at work "collaborating, presenting, and sharing ideas," so joining is positioned as a way into an active scholarly network rather than a passive mailing list.

Practical starting points:

• Affiliates — faculty and student affiliates are the core of the research community; the site's Funding section covers present opportunities and past awards for this group.
• Friends and community members — the Fall Open House explicitly welcomes "affiliates, friends, and community members."
• Graduate students — a dedicated info session explains the grant funding cycle and what kinds of gender-related research and creative work qualify (see below).

The site does not publish membership fees or a login requirement on this page, so treat any cost or access terms as something to confirm directly with the center rather than assuming free or open access.

Attend an Event

Events are the most concrete entry point, and the homepage lists upcoming ones with dates, times, and locations.

The Fall Open House is described as a gathering to share inspiration, celebrate collective work, and renew commitment to advancing feminist research and social change—a low-pressure way to meet the community. The graduate info session, hosted by Director Sangita Gopal, walks through the funding cycle and eligibility for gender-related research and creative work.

To verify details or find additional events, use the "All Events" link on the homepage, since the roundtable location is still listed as TBD.

Take Part in Initiatives and Mentorship

Beyond single events, CSWS runs initiatives that foster networking, collaboration, and mentorship within its community of feminist scholars. The homepage points to an Initiatives section for learning how to get involved. If your goal is ongoing connection rather than a one-time visit, this is the section to explore after attending an event.

Follow and Share the Research

As a research center, CSWS disseminates new knowledge across media platforms to scholars, educators, the public, policymakers, and activists. Following its media output is a low-commitment way to stay connected, and sharing that work extends its reach. The site also offers a "Give to CSWS" option for those who want to support the mission financially.

A Quick Path to Decide

• Want to meet people first? Attend the Fall Open House on Nov 6 at Hendricks 330.
• Graduate student seeking funding? Go to the Nov 20 info session at noon in the Jane Grant Room, then review the Funding section.
• Interested in sustained involvement? Read the Initiatives section and consider becoming an affiliate.
• Not local or short on time? Follow CSWS media and share its research.

One caveat: the homepage gives event dates and times but not years for the fall events, and the roundtable location is unconfirmed. Confirm current scheduling through the center's events listing before making plans.