Regina Mills '09

What are you up to now?

I am in my first year as a tenure-track Assistant Professor of English (specifically Latinx and US Multi-Ethnic Literature) at Texas A&M University.

Why did you decide to minor in WGSS?

In my first year, I took the introductory Women’s Studies course with Prof. Ellen Mayock and it truly changed my life. I better understood the struggles I had and had a language with which to talk about experiences that until that point had felt impossible to describe. The service aspect of Women’s Studies was just as important as this knowledge piece. The service-learning aspect, which for me was producing and performing 2 episodes of the WLUR radio program She Speaks, ultimately led to 10 years of volunteering in domestic violence and sexual abuse resource centers and shelters. So, what really drew me was that Women’s Studies was about both theory and practice.

Do you find that your preparation in WGSS helped you do what you are doing now?

Yes! In addition to leading a decade of advocacy for victims/survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse, my Women’s Studies courses still inform my research in Latinx and African Diaspora literary studies as well as my teaching content and practice.

Any advice for current students?

In the world we live in today, there is no more important area of study than one that builds compassion, encourages actions that move our society towards justice, develops a sense of responsible skepticism and critical thinking, and even more importantly, emboldens us to imagine what to other feels impossible. No matter what major you are, STEM or humanities, seek out courses, professors, and colleagues who will challenge your thinking and push you to be more and do more.