Tennessee Tech has renamed the Womens Center after founding director and long-time campus leader Gretta Stanger.
Director Helen Hunt said the center tries to reach students, faculty and staff based on the legacy created by Stanger.
“Gretta Stanger was a professor in the Sociology Department and had been a pillar of Tech’s community for more than fifty years,” Hunt said. “We renamed the center after her because she started the center, founded our journal, and created a legacy that is the reason we exist today.”
Hunt said the center’s mission extends beyond women and is focused on fostering inclusion for everyone on campus.
“We are here to make sure that everyone feels a sense of belonging on campus,” Hunt said. “We provide education about gender, resources, and social programming so people of all genders feel like they belong and they matter here.”
Hunt said the center welcomes participation from both the campus and the broader community. Hunt said the center offers a variety of resources, including educational materials and basic necessities that help students remain engaged in their coursework.
“We have a strong resource library, hygiene and menstrual supplies, and social events that help people connect with others who care about similar issues,” Hunt said. “All of that is designed to make sure students can fully access their education.”
Hunt said the center regularly evaluates its mission to ensure it meets the evolving needs of students.
“We have an assessment process every year where we look at our goals and how we’re meeting them,” Hunt said. “But just as important, we listen directly to students and ask what will motivate their peers to engage with what we’re offering.”
Hunt said the center has had a measurable impact on students’ academic and professional paths.
“We have had students who changed their career paths because of their experiences working in the center,” Hunt said. “They’ve gained leadership skills, career training, and a clearer sense of where they want to go next.”
Hunt said the Gretta Stanger Center will host a limited-seat luncheon on February 6 to celebrate the newly-named center.
“Our goal with this luncheon is to celebrate the impact that Dr. Stanger had on people’s lives,” Hunt said. “It’s a chance to honor her legacy, hear from her family, and allow others to share how she influenced them.”