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Women's Center underutilized due to lack of awareness

Maggie Elwood, elwoodme@muohio.edu

With all the attention given to numerous on-campus places of support for students, the Miami University Women's Center is often overlooked. Nearly everyone knows about Student Counseling Services, the Rinella Learning Center, the Howe Center for Writing Excellence and Career Services, but it seems like hardly anyone is familiar with the Women's Center. I will admit I didn't know we even had a Women's Center until I applied to work there as a student ambassador. The Women's Center, located in 205 MacMillan Hall, provides a place of support and community for students, as well as a community room with a library resource collection and free printing. Unfortunately, it seems many students are afraid to utilize the Women's Center because they do not understand what is available or who can use it. The staff of the Women's Center hopes to provide a comfortable area where everyone is welcome: men and women, students and staff. From personal experience, I have found the Women's Center is a place where there is always lively discussion and a place where it easy to be myself and form strong friendships. I would encourage anyone who has not been to the Women's Center to stop by and see what we are all about.