By: Maranda Meisenzahl

Brockport, NY- Brianna Bush is a sophomore at The College at Brockport. She is one of many students that are influenced by Barb LeSavoy. Students like Sam Newson and Emily Nuñez also recognize LeSavoy’s hard work and dedication. Students who are involved with the department and with LeSavoy are able to share a special connection. These students further their education of advocacy and women’s rights by taking Women and Gender Studies. 

Bush speaks on how LeSavoy and the women’s department have influenced her daily. Feminism is important to Bush, and the women’s department have helped her figure out what feminism means to her. Bush looks up to LeSavoy in many ways, as a person and as a professor. 

 Sam Newson also expresses her love for LeSavoy and the rest of the Women and Gender Studies department. Newson is junior at the College at Brockport, and double majoring in Social Work and Women and Gender Studies.  

“I’m just gonna take what I’ve learned from Barb and the women’s department to just fight for what’s right and never settle and that women deserve more than what they get sometimes” Newson said.  

  LeSavoy was Newson’s instructor for a class called Feminist Theory, this class was where Newson was able to recognize her commitment to her students.       

“She [LeSavoy] is a great instructor, I am always wanting to participate and if I didn’t I felt like I had to look deeper into what we were looking at so I could participate because I didn’t want to miss out on the potential discussion we could create.” Newson said.  

Just like Newson, Nuñez also credits LeSavoy for her involvement in the Women and Gender Studies department. Nuñez is a junior at The College at Brockport and is majoring in Psychology. 

“Barb talks a lot about being a gate opener, to me, that’s super influential because throughout history women have not been given a platform really, or express their talents, express their voice, their power” Nuñez said.                                                                                                          Nuñez expresses what feminism is to her and how she plans on taking the information she learned by LeSavoy and others in the department into the real world.                                                                                                                                  ”To me feminism is the advocacy, protection, safety, and empowerment for all women. Women from all intersecting identities and giving every woman a voice to share their story…..I want to deepen my knowledge so that when I actually am advocating I know what I’m talking about and I’m speaking from facts as opposed to an opinion” Nuñez said.                                                    

    LeSavoy is constantly inspiring people inside the classroom and out. These students have gotten to experience LeSavoy’s commitment and enthusiasm of the Women and Gender Studies department.