Pepperdine University marked the 25th anniversary of its Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) program with a community event on Apr. 17, bringing together students, alumni, faculty, and staff to honor the program’s history and unveil a new archival initiative.
The celebration highlighted the significance of feminist teaching and interdisciplinary learning at Pepperdine. Organizers said that preserving the WGS legacy is important for future generations who seek to understand how gender intersects with other aspects of identity.
Katie Frye, WGS coordinator and associate professor of English, opened the event by describing how WGS draws from five academic divisions and offers students opportunities to explore issues related to race, class, ethnicity, ability, religion, nationality, and gender identity. Frye said students value taking courses outside their primary departments: “Preserving the program’s material culture and its digital footprint so that this piece of women’s history at Pepperdine is not erased . . . to that end, I am deeply grateful and proud of the work that we’ve all done,” shared Frye. “This program—and now the archive—has been and continues to be a collective of scrappy and resilient women.”
A key part of the event was recounting how WGS began in 2001 as a minor under founding coordinator Erika Olbricht. Over recent months, Frye worked with library staff Bailey Berry (librarian for digital conversion), Christopher Miehl (archivist), former student Kyra Hatton (‘25), and current student Saskia Jager to recover documents such as original proposals, syllabi, student letters—including advocacy from Amy Turk (‘01)—and promotional materials. The team used interviews with alumni and faculty to fill gaps left by limited official records.
Miehl described using a community-based approach for archiving: rather than relying solely on paperwork—which was sparse—the project centered on collecting stories directly from those involved in shaping WGS. He said his role was mostly “to provide the stage,” while others filled it with content. Berry added that interviewing founding faculty members as well as alumni helped build an archive reflecting both institutional history and personal transformation.
Alumni like Sofia Reyes (‘25) spoke about how courses such as Dr. Karie Riddle’s Women and Politics expanded their academic interests while strengthening critical thinking skills applicable beyond graduation. The event also explored intersections between faith traditions at Pepperdine—such as through Sojourner Truth’s example—and feminist inquiry in coursework led by professors like Nicole Gilhuis.
Frye concluded by crediting students for driving WGS forward: “Thank you to our students. Without asking for and enrolling in the classes… none of this would have been possible.” Organizers encouraged attendees to view additional archival materials online through Pepperdine Libraries.