Women's Center director Peggy Barrett "changed campus culture, [and] will transform communities," according to her farewell poster.
Barrett, the Women's Center's first and only director, is leaving Tufts at the end of this month after holding the position for almost 25 years. After her departure, she will begin work at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center.
Her farewell celebration was held yesterday afternoon in the Regis Sculpture Court. Among those also present at the farewell ceremony were students, alumnae, colleagues, and friends.
Barrett "still has a kick in her," Dean of Student Affairs Bruce Reitman said at the celebration.
"Peggy has changed the culture here, and these changes will last long after she leaves," Reitman said. "She has created an amazing environment and affected so many lives."
Lisa Coleman, Director of the Africana Center, publicly agreed. "Peggy has brought together so many diverse communities-just see how many different kinds of people have come to wish her the best," she said. "She is a wonderful mentor and a great friend."
In addition to promoting awareness of women's rights issues through the Women's Center, Barrett was a primary founder of the Campus Violence Prevention Project (CVPP). That project is currently in the midst of a social marketing campaign to raise awareness of issues surrounding sexual assault and dangerous mixing of intoxicants.
CVPP brought together in a collaborative effort the Women's Center, the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered (LGBT) Center, the Africana Center, the Asian American Center, the Latino Center, and the International Center against tolerance of violence on campus.
Barrett said her experience with CVPP will be useful at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, which she looks forward to as "a new challenge."
"It is similar to CVPP, but with a broader scope," she said.
Sue Gilbert, who has worked at the Women's Center for the past four years, will take over for Barrett, serving as an interim director until June 30. During this time she hopes to maintain the rapid momentum of the center and bring new women's issues speakers to Tufts.
Some students describe the Women's Center as a second home. Junior Nikki Bruce calls it "a cooler version of Health Services -they are very tolerant and very open-minded about sexuality and gender issues. And they have a ton of pamphlets," she said.
But Barrett said that even after 25 years of work, much is left before equality and tolerance are reached on campus and in the country.
"I have seen a lot of change in the past 25 years-there is much more tolerance of nontraditional lifestyles," she said. "People think that the laws have changed and that's enough, but now it is not about laws as much as it is about lives. Now we need to break down the social institutions. Yes, the laws have changed, but that doesn't change who does the laundry."
