The Continual Need for a Women's Center at Alexandria's Nova Campus

The Continual Need for a Women's Center at Alexandria's NOVA Campus

The Women's Center at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is a much needed resource at the college. The services offered and support given to women as a minority group is still a valued necessity in this community. Throughout the United Stated most colleges and universities recognize this need to support this social class and provide funding to support a center such as this one. Emphasizing the center and marketing its attributes to the college students and faculty shows the diversity and educational support the college has for women. NOVA's women's center focuses on three goals, provide resources and services to promote educational success emphasizing gender equity and inclusiveness, develop programs to address gender and cultural barriers in areas of employment and policy-making and to encourage, leadership opportunities for women and establish referral system. (WEB)

Within these goals they offer a surrey of services, resources, and materials. The center delivers materials and announcements through emails, board postings, faculty and NOVA's website. The materials shared help deliver information that is of use or importance to women and men in an educational setting. The center has a wide variety of services that address the gender equality and inclusiveness that makes it a necessity to women. Many of the services, programs and classes offered by the center are open to men as well. The only limitations to men are the seating and private room that offers nursing, quite time and health recourse if needed. The facility caters to all but have the overall focus on the needs of today's women.

Throughout history women have not had the same opportunities as men. The responsibility of raising a family and running a household has put the value of education on the back burner. With the social awareness of equality, there has been many changes and support for women to receive an education. The need and option for a higher education for women is still needed. As studies show, "Education plays a role of social change agent whereas higher education days a role of leadership in all fields of life. Women constitute about 50 percent population of the country. They need equal opportunity of excess in all disciplines of higher education. No doubt that enrollment of girls is increasing in higher education but still equal chances are not available. They are deprived of their rights and empowerment in the society." (Article)

With inequality still being a factor in our society today, the need for a supportive facility is necessary to meet the needs of women. Although current studies show an "increase in higher education" (Perry) for women the continual support is still needed to aid in their success. The statistics taken do not reflect all women, as TIME states: this only applies to unmarried and childless women under 30 who live in cities. (WEB) There are so many factors that women have to address within society statistics still show the difference in salaries among men and women.

Time has shown the improvement of equality for women. The first Women's Center was opened in 1970, empowering women with support and