With the launch of the Her Campus Kutztown Chapter is right around the corner, it only feels right to mention the efforts of one Dr. Colleen Clemens who helped make all of this possible. Dr. Clemens is a well-known and well-loved professor of non-Western literature studies at Kutztown University. Clemens has newly taken over as the director of Women’s and Gender Studies position on our campus. Some courses that she has taught include “African Drama and Poetry”, “Women and Violence in Contemporary Literature and Film”, “Women Writers Around the World” and “Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies”.
As a passionate feminist and activist, she writes for her own blog “Reflections on Gender and Postcolonial Issues” while balancing teaching, responsibilities as an advisor, family, and her own passions as well. A compilation of her work can be seen on the website for “Teaching Tolerance” where she writes about topics of rape culture, intersectionality, empowerment, and women writers.
Given her field and endless dedication to her students, Dr. Clemens seemed the perfect person to reach out to for help in starting a Her Campus Kutztown Chapter. When approached about becoming our advisor she was instantly on board.
To ensure the successful launching of the club, we sat down to discuss our hopes and expectations of the chapter. As a long-term goal, Clemens hopes this acts as an opportunity for students to control content decisions and write about their passions. She wants to see the chapter, “become a space for many voices run by a diverse group of women.” She then goes on to say how “there is so much opportunity to hear their [student] voices.” Now, thanks to her, our school has been provided a platform to do just that.
Writing is fueled by what inspires the writer. Dr. Clemens’ inspiration comes from her students, something that continues to be true today. She encourages her students to advocate beyond the classroom environment. Last semester Clemens spoke at a conference on advocacy outside of the classroom as well which many of her students attended. It is with pride that she is able to make a difference with her students and instill the necessary work ethic for her students to start the conversation of making a change.
“They [her students] give me great hope that the world will be better for my daughter. I always cared deeply about gender issues. Since my daughter was born, my urgency has tripled when it comes to wanting to effect change.” She has come to recognize that what she does at her workplace will also affect family at some point in time. By engaging students in such important discussions, she could ultimately begin to change the way her students act upon events beyond college and create a better life for the next generation.”
As an educator of many current topics around the world, she raises awareness to her students. As someone who has been enrolled in five of her classes throughout my own college career, I have seen first-hand what this looks like. Not only does she write herself, but she encourages us to write ourselves as well. The discussion is always vibrant and seems to change the world one student at a time.
When asked about her experience with writing and activism Clemens finds writing to be her best strategy for “changing hearts and minds”, especially when it comes to issues of gender. She uses writing for her blog, and Teaching Tolerance to “make arguments for equality in different arenas.”
One of my biggest aspirations with our Her Campus Kutztown Chapter is that we can reach as many people as Dr. Clemens has herself. With her experience and guidance, I am confident that we will be able to achieve this goal and help continue her own efforts in making the world a better place.
For more of Clemens works you can follow her at: https://kupoco.wordpress.com/