June 30, 2025

by Lauren Ferguson

Just in time for Pride Month, Ramapo College of New Jersey welcomed a new coordinator of its Women’s Center and LGBTQ+ Services.

Dr. Megan Williams started at Ramapo in late May, and describes herself as “a proud polyamorous queer bisexual woman, zinester, music lover, and scholar-practitioner who believes in the radical possibilities of feminist community.”

After eight years at the Emily Taylor Center for Women & Gender Equity at the University of Kansas, and more than 10 years of teaching undergraduate courses, Williams is now running the center dedicated to education, advocacy and support for gender equity and LGBTQ+ inclusion on Ramapo’s Mahwah campus.

Williams earned her MA and PhD in American Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the University of Kansas. She sat down for a Q&A on her experiences and what she hopes to bring to the important Ramapo resource that offers Roadrunners a safe space to grow, thrive, and lead.

What made you decide to get into this line of work?

With a background in feminist and queer scholarship and years of experience teaching undergraduates, I came to understand that campus-based women’s centers are powerful spaces for transformative, relational work. My life was — and continues to be — shaped by feminist, queer, and trans spaces, and I want to help create those spaces for others. This work allows me to align my professional life with my values and be part of a community that fosters personal growth and social change.

What is one of your proudest accomplishments?

My background includes community organizing and activism. One of my proudest accomplishments was co-founding the NO SB180 campaign in Lawrence, Kansas, which led to the passage of Ordinance 9999 — local safe haven legislation affirming protections for trans and nonbinary people in response to a harmful state law. It was a powerful example of grassroots resistance and community-led change.

What do the Women’s Center & LGBTQ+ Services offer?

Rooted in feminist principles, the center offers a welcoming environment for students of all gender identities and sexual orientations. Its lounge, in room C‑220, provides a space for students to relax, build community, and access resources or confidential peer support. The center facilitates weekly peer-led discussion groups that center marginalized identities and offers a wide range of annual programming, including Queer & Trans History Month, Pride Fest, Trans Day of Remembrance, and Women’s Herstory Month. We also supply essential wellness resources such as free menstrual products, pregnancy tests, and sexual health supplies, along with referrals for gender-affirming care, reproductive healthcare, and mental health support. Through the Trans@Ramapo initiative, the center assists students with campus name changes and partners with Residence Life to coordinate gender-inclusive housing. Whether students are seeking connection, support, or avenues for advocacy, the Women’s Center & LGBTQ+ Services offers a safer space to grow, thrive, and lead.

Why is this space and this work so important?

In a time of growing backlash against gender and sexual diversity — impacting women, queer individuals, and, especially, trans people — it is critical to protect and sustain spaces that affirm our full selves, foster connection, and provide resources. As sexism/misogyny, heterosexism/homophobia, cissexism/transphobia, and other forms of oppression intensify, the work of the center becomes even more vital. We are attempting to nurture a culture of care based in a love ethic that challenges injustice while modeling the feminist, inclusive world we strive to create.