Simmons College

On March 22, 2013 Gloria Steinem came to campus and caused the kind of stir you would expect from a rock star. Steinem's icon status is well earned after over 40 years of activism & advancement of women's rights. This storify follow's Gloria's day on campus through the eyes of Simmons' community.

Here Sarah will be taking you on a quick tour of the Simmons College residence campus! The Residence Campus is a beautiful grassy and gated quad that's home to: 9 residence halls, a dining hall, a sports center, and a health center.

This is a video about some of the frequently asked questions about food options here at Simmons. Sarah Galvez takes you through the many options that both Bartol Hall and The Fens Cafe have to offer. She also interviews a few students about what they like best about the food here on campus.

Most of us here at Simmons love going to school in Boston because the city is filled with great places to eat, shop and enjoy your free time. In this video Sarah takes you around Boston to show you her favorite places in the city.

It's that time of year - housing selection! Join our very own Woman on Campus, Sarah Galvez, as she tours the dorms in her four part series.

Dorm Series, Simmons Hall

In this video, Sarah takes you on a tour of Simmons Hall. This hall features primarily first year housing as well as the sports pride theme community.

I applied to be a part of Campus Conversations on Race (CCOR) as a first year student because I wanted to have discussions about real issues over tea. By the end of the semester I gained knowledge, friendships and valuable experiences I would not have gotten anywhere else. The following semester I was asked to co-facilitate the program and now I am on the Like Minds e-board as the CCOR representative and I'm in my fourth semester with the program.

Simmons students care passionately about the issues they believe in. So far this semester, Simmons students have taken their interests to the next level by working together to take action.

Most recently, Simmons students displayed passion in the annual production of The Vagina Monologues, a play by Eve Ensler. This student-run performance truly combines acting with activism. The play educates, entertains, and enrages the audience about women's issues around the world, while featuring a spotlight organization. Each year, Vagina Monologues directors select a local organization to benefit from the funds raised. New England's first women's shelter, Transition House, is this year's beneficiary from the Simmons ticket sales. I had a total blast being a member of this year's cast, all while raising funds for an important cause!

For some, this semester began with an intensive January course known as Simmons World Challenge. This is a class that is open to sophomores and when I heard how much this year's class enjoyed it I felt nostalgic towards my experience last year in World Challenge. SWC offers unique courses with new topics each year, and students collaborate in small groups to brainstorm, research, explore, create, and present a solution to an issue. This year's program actually had two different topics: one on immigration, and another about the media. One example of a World Challenge outcome this year was an in-depth analysis of how the media portrays violence.

• 1 out of 3 women will experience violence in her lifetime
• Over 1 billion women on this planet will be impacted by violence.
• In 2012, over 5,800 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls.

The producers of the 2013 Vagina Monologues brought the V-Day worldwide movement to Simmons College in a big way! The award winning play by Eve Ensler brings together voices of many women, sharing their fear and excitement about ownership of their own bodies and experiences.

The V-Day movement as a whole seeks to end violence against women and girls and bring awareness about violence against women across the world. This year, the Simmons performance included two student-written monologues by Marissa Johnson and Beatrice Seifert called, "Risers" that led directly into the video, "One Billion Rising."

As an undergrad my classmates used to make fun of me all the time, I could not sit still while studying! Little did I know that listening to my body was a really great thing!

In a study out of Portland State University in June of 2008 it states that exercise that improves cardiovascular function, such as running and cycling, improved cognitive functioning; specifically memory and attentiveness.

I'm not saying each time you get agitated while studying to start up a game of ultimate Frisbee, however allowing yourself the opportunity to workout while studying for finals can impact your studying.

I recently had the chance to chat with Kelsey Duchesne, a Dix RA, about how she created "home" here at Simmons.

What is your favorite thing in your room?

I brought a portion of my Buddha collection with me from home, and have them scattered all around my room. Each one has a different place, story or person tied to it, so it's nice to be reminded of wonderful memories every day.


If you had to describe your room in one word what would it be?

I would say my room is very eclectic! There are so many different colors and patterns and nic-nacs, but together it all seems to work.


How do you best utilize the space you have?

I have a very fierce rule for myself: keep my room neat. When my room is neat, it can be anything. It can be a comfortable bedroom, a quiet study space, or a warm and welcoming place for my friends to gather. You can get so much use out of your room simply by picking up your clothes and making your bed in the morning.


How does your room reflect your personality?

It's difficult for me to just throw out adjectives that I (hope) people will associate me with. All I know is that everything in my room is there for a reason; I think it's beautiful, or there is a story behind it, or it compliments my interests. Anyone who knows me could come into this room and immediately know that it's mine.