Welcome to the Marshall Women’s Center: a safe space of supportive staff, resources and amenities for all Marshall students. Tucked within the first floor of Old Main, its office is cultivated with an eye for the needs of students and women around campus. It offers free coffee, snacks and an array of personnel ready to help or answer questions. More than that, though, the program aims to provide all students with the support they need.
“It’s a space where students can come and ask the questions they may be afraid to ask or hesitate to ask in other spaces,” said Alissa Rookard, the coordinator of the Women’s Center.
2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the center, which will be celebrated with an event Thursday, April 30. The anniversary is not only a celebration of the organization, but also the army of women who have led the charge in Marshall’s success.
“This anniversary is celebrating 50 years of service to not only the Marshall students, but to the campus community as a whole,” Rookard said. “It’s also about honoring those people who have continued that legacy and fortifying what we already have to ensure the legacy continues.”
The evening will begin at the Brad D. Smith Center for Business and Innovation with a reception to welcome attendees and encourage conversation. Attendees will then move to the auditorium to watch a dance composed by Marshall professor Robin Riner followed by keynote speaker Julie Fulks, the head coach for Marshall Women’s Basketball.
“We’re excited to have her there to talk about women’s leadership and, specifically, women’s leadership in sports and what that is like,” Rookard said.
The evening will conclude with the recognition of award-winning staff, students and faculty in various categories. Seble Abiyu, graduate assistant and the coordinator of the Marshall Women’s Award, hopes this year’s event will be one to remember.
“We wanted to go bigger, so that people know what we are doing, what we have, and we also want to show off our students and people who are actively involved in the center to showcase their work,” Abiyu said.
While the Women’s Center has remained in operation for 50 years, the organization has not always looked the same. Its programs have adapted, improved and grown over time to accommodate social needs just as it hopes to in the coming years.
In recent years, this has looked like a greater shift toward the exploration of personal identity and values along with partnering and supporting other university programs. As the Women’s Center adapts itself, though, it stays true to the core mission.
“Things change, needs change, services change,” Abiyu said. “We are trying to make it more organized, so it can have a strong stand, even though details – the programming, the needs, the ground – might change, but our principles will not.”
Students interested in the Marshall Women’s Center can visit its page on the Marshall website or stop by the office in Old Main 115. The anniversary celebration will be held from 5-8 p.m. in the Brad D. Smith Center for innovation in room 116. The event is free and welcome to all.
Claire Johnson can be contacted at [email protected].
