The Internship Experience in the WGSS Major
The major in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) requires students to complete an internship experience, a practicum that ties back to the activist roots of the field of WGSS.
WGSS majors may fulfill the Internship requirement in one of two ways: 1) by applying for and participating in the Teaching Collective; or 2) by being placed in a local community organization with a focus on feminist activism and/or social change advocacy.
The Teaching Collective
Video, filmed by Associate Professor Emerita Vivien Ng, shows Teaching Collective members and WGSS majors sharing their experiences.
One of our most innovative courses is the foundational "Introduction to Feminisms" (AWSS 101) that is offered every spring semester. Taught by undergraduate discussion facilitators who form the Teaching Collective, students in 101 are guided through a peer-learning experience of consciousness raising and co-teaching.
The Teaching Collective is the longest running peer-teaching program at the University at Albany and in the nation, begun in 1977. To prepare for this unique experience, Teaching Collective members take 9 credits in a series of courses on Feminist Pedagogy, beginning in the fall and concurrently in the spring.
- AWSS 310: Introduction to Feminist Pedagogy (offered in the Fall)
- AWSS 320: Feminist Pedagogy in Theory (offered in the Spring)
- AWSS 322Y: Feminist Pedagogy in Practice (offered in the Spring as the practicum experience for Teaching Collective members)
The Internship in Feminist Activism and Social Change Advocacy
The Internship in Feminist Activism and Social Change Advocacy includes two components:
- Work experience in a local placement related to student’s interest in career development and social justice; and
- An academic seminar that meets weekly in which students apply feminist theory, praxis, and analysis to their placement experience. This requirement is fulfilled through the course AWSS 492Y (currently titled “Internship in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies”) offered every spring for juniors and seniors in the major.
Community Partners
Community Partners Working with our Student Interns
Albany County Crime Victim and Sexual Violence Center
Contact: Karen Ziegler, karen.ziegler@albanycountyny.gov
112 State Street
Room 1100
Albany, NY 12207
Main Office: 518-447-7100
Alliance for Positive Health
Contact: Donna Vancavage, dvancavage@alliancefph.org
518-434-4686 Ext. 2428
info@alliancefph.org
927 Broadway
Albany, NY 12207
Main Office: 518-434-4686
Birthnet
Contact: birthnet@birthnewyork.org
518-482-2504
215 Partridge St, Albany, NY 12203
Capital Roots
Contact: Sean Wyse, Community Engagement Director, Devmanager@capitalroots.org
volunteer@capitalroots.org
518-274-8685
594 River Street, Troy, NY 12180
Capital Region Action Against Breast Cancer (CRAAB!)
Contact: Kelly Primeau-Fahey
compassionatecareny@gmail.com
Center for Law and Justice
Contact: Lauren Manning, Executive Administrator, lauren.cflj@gmail.com
518-650-3007
220 Green St, Albany, NY 12202
Center for Women in Government and Civil Society
Contact: Dina Refki, D.A., Executive Director, cwgcs@albany.edu
518-442-3900
135 Western Avenue, Draper Hall 302, Albany, NY 12222
Citizen Action of NY
Andrew Tarwerdi atarwerdi@citizenactionny.org
518-925-1316
94 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
Environmental Advocates
Contact: Kristina Green, kgreen@eany.org
518-462-5526 ext. 233
353 Hamilton Street, Albany, NY 12210-1709
Equinox
Contact: HR@equinoxinc.org
518-434-4502
95 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12206
GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), New York Capital Region Chapter
PO Box 5392, Albany, NY 12205
518-635-0552
Grand Street Community Arts
Contact: wcaa@grandarts.org
518-463-2222
Physical: 68 Grand Street, Albany, NY 12202
Mailing: 14 Wilbur St, Albany, NY 12202
Holding Our Own & The Women’s Building
Contact: Carmen Rau, crau@holdingourownonline.org
518-462-2871
373 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
Homeless and Travelers' Aid Society (HATAS)
Contact: Liz Hitt, lhitt@hatas.org
518-463-2124
138 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
Honest Weight Food Co-op
Contact: Amy Ellis, amy@honestweight.coop
518-482-2667 X 128
100 Watervliet Ave, Albany, NY 12206
Initiatives for Women (IFW)
Contact: Carol Anne Germain, cgermain@albany.edu
University at Albany
1400 Washington Ave
Albany, NY 12222
In Our Own Voices (IOOV)
Contact: Phillip Burse, pburse@inourownvoices.org
518-432-4188
245 Lark Street, Albany, NY 12210
Katal Center for Health, Equity and Justice
Contact: Yonah Zeitz, yonah@katalcenter.org
518-527-6263
The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern NY
See website for internship opportunities.
55 Colvin Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
The Legal Project of the Capital District Women’s Bar Association
Contact: Jodi Koenig, jkoenig@legalproject.org
518-435-1770
24 Aviation Road, Suite 101, Albany, NY 12205
Liberty Partnerships Rising Stars Program
Contact: Nashay Williams, nwilliams4@albany.edu
518-442-5422
Richardson Hall 111, 135 Western Ave., Albany, NY
NYS Division for Human Rights
Contact: Victor DeAmelia, InfoAlbany@dhr.ny.gov
518-473-8801
Agency Building 1, 2nd Floor, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12220
NYSCADV: New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Contact: Gina Peattie, gpeattie@nyscadv.org
518-482-5465 X 225
119 Washington Ave, Albany New York, 12210
NYSCASA: New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Contact: Sam Mitchell, smitchell@nyscasa.org
518-482-4222 ext. 314
28 Essex Street, Albany, NY 12206
NYS Prisoner Justice Network
Contact: Naomi Jaffe, naomi@nycap.rr.com or naomi643@gmail.com
Peace Action
Contact: Michelle Deocampo, mdeocampo@albany.edu
Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts
Contact: Anna Hernandez, anna.hernandez@ppesacts.org
518-436-8408
194 Washington Avenue, Suite 620
Albany, New York 12210
Pride Center of the Capital Region
Contact: Andromeda Indardeo, aindardeo@capitalpridecenter.org
518-462-6138
332 Hudson Ave, Albany, NY 12210
Refugee Welcome Center
Contact: Tim Doherty, rwcwesthill@gmail.com
518-603-7608
104 Ontario Street, Albany, NY, 12206
The Sanctuary for Independent Media
Contact: Branda Miller, miller@mediasanctuary.org
3361 6th Avenue Troy, NY 12180
518-272-2390
The Social Justice Center of Albany
Contact: Naomi Jaffe, naomi@nycap.rr.com
33 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12210
518-434-4037
Troy Bike Rescue
Contact: Andrew Lynn, breathingplanet@gmail.com
518-328-4827
3280 6th Ave, Troy, NY 12180
Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (TRIP), Inc.
Contact: Christine Nealon, christine@triponline.org
518-272-8289
415 River Street, 3rd Floor, Troy, NY 12180
UAlbany's Gender and Sexuality Resource Center
Contact: Courtney D’Allaird, cdallaird@albany.edu
Campus Center 332
518-442-5015
UAlbany's Women’s Resource Center
Contact: Kate Roos, keroos@albany.edu
United Tenants of Albany Inc
Contact: K. Michelle Arthur, Executive Director, michelle@unitedtenantsalbany.org
255 Orange Street
Suite 104
Albany, NY 12210
518-436-8997
Unity House
Contact: Scharlette Wilkins, SWilkins@UnityHouseNY.ORG
Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood
Contact: Zanetta Graham, zanetta@uhpp.org or Katherine Bruno, katherine@uhpp.org
518-434-5678
855 Central Ave, Albany, NY 12206
The Women’s Building
Contact: Carmen Rau
See contact information under “Holding Our Own,” above.
YWCA of the Greater Capital Region
Contact: Bonnie Benson, bonnieb@ywca-gcr.org
518-274-7100
21 First St, Troy, NY 12180