Chairwoman of the Cerritos College Sociology, Women’s Studies and Gender Studies Departments, Amy Holzgang, Ph.D., came to the May 21 meeting of the La Palma-Cerritos Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) at the Cerritos Library telling everyone “Everything about Women’s and Gender Studies at Cerritos College.”
Dr. Holzgang received her B.A. in Sociology from U.C. San Diego and received her Master’s and Ph.D. in Sociology from Syracuse University with a focus in the areas of Women and Religion. She has been teaching at Cerritos College for 14 years. Cerritos College is one of 20 Community Colleges in California that have Women Studies Programs.
She said that the mission of Women’s Studies at Cerritos College is “to help students explore the ways that gender roles influence human behavior in families, communities, and institutions from an interdisciplinary perspective.”
Students at Cerritos College can receive an Associate in Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies by taking two required classes, “Issues for Women in Society” and “Women Their Bodies and Health” along with 12 units from a list of 13 other classes in Women and Gender Studies. Students must also complete all A.A. in General Education requirements for a total of at least 60 units.
Dr. Holzgang gave an excellent presentation about the Women’s and Gender Studies at Cerritos College and said that she is available to answer questions about the program. She also gave a brief history of feminism and said that progress has been made, but there are still more work needed to achieve equality for women in the workplace and in society. She can be reached at Cerritos College at 562-860-2451.
