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More than 8,600 visits in its first year prove the pop-up Women's Center is a popular campus destination.
When the Baldwin Wallace University Women's Center opened its doors in March 2025 as a pop-up space for Women's History Month, directors Courtney Robinson and Claudine Grunenwald Kirschner '93 and graduate assistant Ayah Jadallah '24 '26 hoped it would resonate with the campus community. What they didn't anticipate was just how profoundly students, faculty, staff and alumni would embrace this new sanctuary in Strosacker Hall.
The pop-up concept was initially proposed by Courtney Robinson, associate director of New Student Experience and Cultural Programming, with Grunenwald Kirschner, director of New Student Experience, contributing the fearlessness to claim the space and move forward with the vision.
Within the first six weeks alone, the center welcomed over 2,000 visitors. By the end of the academic year, that number had grown to more than 8,000 total visits, including nearly 6,000 students, over 1,500 faculty and staff members and more than 500 guests. Thanks to generous donor support, what began as a temporary initiative has become a permanent fixture on campus.
The overwhelming response speaks to a deep need for safe, welcoming spaces where students can simply exhale. This is a place where stress can come to rest, Grunenwald Kirschner explained. Students have shared that they come to the center because they can relax, take a break and make meaningful connections with others.
The center's philosophy is refreshingly simple: you are welcome as you are. There are no have-tos, there are no must-bes, said Grunenwald Kirschner.
Throughout its first year, the Women's Center hosted more than 70 events across 20 weeks, with programming from over 30 different organizations. The Coffee Conversations series has been particularly meaningful, drawing together alumni, students, faculty and staff for cross-generational dialogue. The center also houses the Sophomore Women's Empowerment and Mentoring Program, which brings cohorts of sophomore women together with mentors for weekly meetings.
While the center is unapologetically centered around the lived experiences of women and female-identifying individuals, it remains an open, safe space for all. We want people to understand that this is a place to get to know women, to recognize the unique challenges and barriers women face and to build community across our diverse experiences, Grunenwald Kirschner said. The response from alumni has been particularly heartening, with graduates contributing both financial support and real-world perspectives.
Looking ahead to year two, plans include launching book clubs featuring texts by women authors, hosting faculty-led discussions on pressing issues and creating more accessible learning opportunities for the entire community.
A highlight on the horizon is the March 19 event, Celebration of Women's Wisdom, which will feature interactive presentations, performances and opportunities to engage with generations of wisdom.
If BW stands for anything, it is that you can come to BW and find a place to belong, Grunenwald Kirschner emphasized. If the Women's Center helps anyone feel like they belong, that means everything.
For anyone who hasn't yet visited, the invitation is simple: stop in, explore and see what's in it for you. There's something for everyone.
