Author: Clark, Emily

WGSS Recent Placement: Meaghan Davis

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About Meaghan Davis (she & they)

Education 

  • BA History, BS Education, MA Education, University of Connecticut
  • Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership & Equity, New England College
  • Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Graduate Certificate
  • Nonprofit Management Graduate Certificate
  • Human Right to Education Graduate Certificate
  • Peace Studies Graduate Certificate

    Post Graduation

    • Director, First Year Experience at St. Francis College
    • Founder of The BRAVE Institute

    Meaghan Davis

    Testimonial

    "Earning the graduate certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at UConn positioned me well to be an effective leader, lifelong learner, and skilled activist within my work in higher education as well as the nonprofit world. The coursework and community I engaged with during my time in the WGSS program challenged me personally and professionally to (un)learn ways of thinking, doing, and being, which all contribute to reimagining the systems and cultures we all co-create. My experience within the WGSS program helped prepare me to show up for ALL of my students and to co-create spaces with my students that lead to transformation and liberation."

    WGSS Alumni Spotlight: Amber Sagan

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    About Amber Sagan (she/her/hers)

    Education

    • Graduation Year: 2021
    • Major: Biological Sciences
    • Minor: Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

    Community Involvement

    • Hayley Petit Violence and Injury Prevention Fellowship through the Connecticut Children's Hospital
    • Internship at the CT Harm Reduction Alliance

      Post Graduation

      • Master's of Public Health at UConn
      • Prevention Specialist at Wheeler Clinic, working on the Change the Script statewide campaign

      Testimonial

      "Taking courses in WGSS expanded my awareness of various social injustices and inequities. I became inspired to try to make a change on these issues, similar to how my WGSS professors had. I discovered the Hayley Petit Injury and Violence Prevention Fellowship my junior year, a fellowship for college women in STEM. After this fellowship, I pivoted my career goals from healthcare to public health. During my Master's of Public Health education, I further strengthened my WGSS skills by analyzing how social determinants of health such as race, gender, and income lead to inequities in health. I attended the 2022 Annual Public Health Association conference, where I learned about innovative WGSS research from experts in the field such as Loretta Ross. I graduated with my MPH in 2023, and I am currently a Prevention Specialist at Wheeler Clinic. I work on the Change the Script campaign- a statewide campaign to rewrite the narrative around substance use and prevent overdoses. I engage in community outreach to educate individuals about safe substance use, storage, and disposal and the opioid reversal drug, naloxone.


      The knowledge and skills I gained through my WGSS coursework transfer into my current position in various ways. For example, I am able to view public health issues through an intersectional lens, such as how an individual's race, gender, and sexuality may create a unique experience when struggling with a substance use disorder. I have also developed skills in communicating with the community, by using gender-affirming care and creating a safe, respectful environment for meaningful discussions. My WGSS education has aided me in every step of my academic and professional career."