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Tracy Gardner

I graduated with a double major in Women's Studies and Art History in 2010. After graduating I worked for Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions doing installations, archival research, and public works. Specifically, I worked on a Los Angeles wide rape intervention and awareness project titled Three Weeks in January. I completed a Masters degree in American Studies at Cal State Fullerton with an emphasis on resistance in art and viral culture. I developed a feminist podcast, Rebel Grrrl, that allowed me to utilize my skills from Women’s Studies at UCI to call for diversity and representation in video games, comics, and film.

My first women's studies class was incredibly eye opening and exposed me to a whole new side of academia. It made me realize there was an area of humanities that actively sought to change the status quo of cultural discourse.  I enjoyed learning how to do intersectional research and apply various methodologies to complex social issues. I was challenged in each course by rigorous and edifying scholarly standards and it improved my writing and research skills greatly.  Women's studies is often portrayed as very niche. I think people would be surprised to find that it is a vast area of scholarship that incorporates other fields of study to synthesize important work.  The program is demanding and ambitious and it crafts better thinkers and scholars. In every course I was able to study a wide range of subjects, from computer sciences, biology, legal theory, and science fiction. Upon graduation I've been able to apply these skills and knowledges to careers in video games journalism and podcasting and museum work. In every field I've felt competitive and well prepared because of my time in the department. I've also felt adequately prepared for my Master's program.  Utilize the Women's Studies faculty. They are beacons of scholarship with a passion for preparing students for a difficult social climate. Embrace the challenge of thinking differently and in new ways about traditional subjects.