About the Women's Resource Center (WRC)

The WRC cultivates a safe space where students can be empowered and affirmed. We provide various resources and services to all students interested in learning about and supporting women-identifying students and allies. Our programming challenges sexism, socialized gender roles, and the patriarchy. We also focus on gender identity issues and offer a platform for discussions with a feminist lens.

Mission

The Women’s Resource Center (WRC) at Sacramento State is a safe space where women-identifying students and their allies can access programming and resources from a feminist lens that center on advocacy, women’s health, leadership development, and violence prevention, while actively challenging systems of oppression that impact student success. The WRC serves as a holistic hub for empowering and supporting students in their academic, personal, and professional journeys.

Points of Pride

• Over 30 years of feminist advocacy and leadership on campus
• Signature events: Events celebrating Women’s History Month and Women of Color Student Parent Graduation Ceremony, and Wellness Wednesdays
• Committed to Collaboration with community organizations and campus departments
• Essential role in advancing healthy relationships and survivor support
• A hub for student activism and coalition-building around gender equity

Workshops & Events

The Women’s Resource Center brings students together through powerful workshops and events that inspire growth, connection, and leadership. From skill-building sessions and wellness workshops to cultural celebrations and advocacy initiatives, our programs are designed to educate, empower, and create community. Each event is an opportunity to learn something new, build meaningful relationships, and strengthen your voice as part of a more inclusive campus.

Campus Safety

The Women’s Resource Center recognizes that campus safety is essential to student well-being and success. We remain committed to listening to student concerns, sharing timely safety updates, and connecting our community to resources that promote awareness, prevention, and support. By fostering dialogue and partnering with campus safety initiatives, we strive to ensure every student feels secure, informed, and empowered while on campus.

Campus Blue Lights

Ever wondered what the Blue Light emergency phones do or how quickly help arrives? These stations are placed across campus to provide direct, immediate access to emergency assistance. With the push of a button, you’re connected to campus safety dispatch, and an officer is sent to your location right away.

Want to see how it works in action? Check out these videos to learn more about response times and the safety support available to you.

• Campus Blue Lights - Part 1
• Campus Blue Lights - Part 2
• Campus Blue Lights - Part 3

Parent's & Families Program

At the WRC, we believe student success is a family journey. The Parents & Families Program connects parenting students and their loved ones to the Hornet experience, providing resources, events, and communication that empower families to support their students both academically and personally. From orientation to graduation, the program serves as a bridge helping parenting students and families stay informed, engaged, and connected to campus life. By partnering with parents and families, you don’t have to choose between your education and your family, you can grow in both.

CARC (Cultural Academic Resource Centers)

The Women’s Resource Center is part of the Cultural Academic Resource Centers (CARC) serving under the unit of Student Success & Academic Excellence (SSAE) within the Division of Student Affairs at Sacramento State. CARC was created to bring together our campus’s cultural centers into a unified network that advances equity, student success, and community building. Through CARC, centers collaborate to provide academic support, cultural programming, leadership development, and spaces where students can feel a deep sense of belonging. This collective model strengthens advocacy, shares resources, and ensures that students see their identities reflected and celebrated across campus. As part of the CARC community, the WRC contributes to this mission by uplifting women’s voices and experiences while also working alongside partner centers to create inclusive, intersectional spaces that empower all students to thrive.

Women's Resource Center History

Women’s Resource Center: A Legacy of Empowerment

1978 – A Beginning Rooted in Women’s Studies

Sacramento State opens its first Women’s Resource Center, inspired and supported by the Women’s Studies Department. What began as a small, volunteer-led space with a feminist lending library quickly became a welcoming hub for conversation, connection, and advocacy.

1980s – Building Community and Voice

The WRC expands its programming with workshops, support groups, and campus-wide advocacy. In 1981, it launched its first independent newsletter, Women’s Focus, amplifying women’s voices and feminist perspectives across campus. Women’s History Week grows into a dynamic tradition of lectures, panels, and celebrations of women authors and leaders.

1990s – Visibility and Collaboration

Throughout the ’90s, the WRC strengthened its visibility on campus and in the community, collaborating with student groups and local organizations to address pressing issues facing women both on and off campus. The center becomes a recognized partner in advancing equity and inclusion.

2000s – Intersectionality and Inclusivity

As the WRC embraces digital outreach, launching new online platforms, it also deepens its intersectional lens. In 2007, the WRC joined with the Pride Center in the Multicultural Center, reflecting the evolving needs of students with diverse identities. By 2009, the centers moved into the University Union and launched the annual Women of Influence Awards, a tradition that continues today.

2010s – Growth, Leadership, and Student Power

The WRC became known for its dynamic programming: from single mothers’ support groups to the Empowering Women of Color Conference (launched in 2013) to ongoing conversations around feminism, health, and identity. In 2012, Congresswoman Doris Matsui joined a WRC panel on women’s health, marking the Center’s growing impact. Under the leadership of Coordinator Aisha Engle (2014–2022), the WRC flourishes hosting Take Back the Night, Denim Day, the SPEAK program, and bringing national leaders like Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement, to campus.

2019 – A Home of Our Own

The University Union expands, and the WRC gains its own dedicated space on the second floor. The new home provides room for students to study, gather, and access essential resources from feminist literature to pregnancy tests and safer sex supplies making the WRC a trusted space for wellness and community.

2020s – Expanding Impact

In 2023, the WRC grew again as the Parents & Families Program moved into the Center, bringing together staff and resources to better support student parents. That same year, the WRC launched its first Women’s Leadership Summit, connecting and inspiring a new generation of student leaders.

2025 – A New Chapter

The WRC enters a new era of leadership and collaboration. With Cara Campbell (Director) and Nataly Andrade Domínguez (Assistant Program Coordinator) joining the team, the Center expands its vision and strengthens its student-centered mission. The WRC also becomes part of the Cultural Academic Resource Centers (CARC), uniting with partner centers to foster belonging, connection, and empowerment for Sacramento State’s diverse student body.