Nevada born, mother of three,and folk music fanatic, Rebecca Ward learned at a young age that there is more to the world than what meets the eye. Growing up in Gardnerville, Nevada with a population of 2,400, Ward said she lived in a sheltered environment but was still able to broaden her horizons so that she could see the world through a different looking glass.

Today, Ward is Shippensburg University’s director of women’s and gender studies as well as a gender studies seminar professor.

In high school, Ward was a part of an exchange program where she studied in Australia. This trip across the world was something that has left a lasting impact on her, she said.

“[Studying abroad] was my first experience on the outside … It gave me a perspective of what it felt like to be alone, to not exactly fit in — not everyone was like me,” Ward said.

Ward makes it clear to all those who may cross paths with her one time or another that studying abroad opened her eyes to a new outlook on life, Ward said, striking passion in her voice as she spoke.

“You want to leave the world a better place than how you walked into it,” Ward said, the words practically flowing from her mouth like she has never said anything more true. “It’s important to find your joy and to help other people find their joy.”

Ward discovered her joy and passion in the heart of women’s and gender studies department, but she did not always know that this is where she would end up, she said. As an Oregon State alumna, Ward majored in human development, where she worked as a preschool teacher, a family services coordinator, a county extension agent and an Oregon state specialist in children and families at risk.

When Ward landed a job in the women’s and gender studies department at SU, she knew that this is what she wanted to focus on.

Freshman Paige Arensmeyer is a current student in Ward’s introduction to women’s studies class and a recipient of the focus Ward puts toward job.

“[Ward is] an extremely unique professor in the way that she is all about breaking the ice,” Arensmeyer said.

Arensmeyer enjoys Ward’s class discussions and how she is not afraid to talk about anything.

“Nothing is off limits in her class and she is very good at making sure people feel comfortable with saying anything. It really makes me want to participate in class and be open with my opinions,” Arensmeyer said.

Ward’s expectation for her students in class is critical thinking and good writing, she said. Ward incorporates both online and verbal discussions into the structure of her classes in order for students to convey a deeper understanding of the materials taught, and for them to hear, see and learn to respect the varying viewpoints of their peers, she said.

“I think that a college education should be about exploring new ideas and going below the surface to look deeper and to relate the materials to your own life,” Ward said. “I encourage students to not be afraid to ask questions and/or to voice their opinions, but reminding them to always have something to back their opinions up with.”

Feminism is frequently misconstrued to mean “man hating” and striving toward “women empowerment,” Ward said, but she instills within her students the reality that “feminism is about social justice and that everyone benefits when we’re all treated equally.”

The message taught by feminism is one that students can walk away with and apply to all aspects of their daily lives. As taught in her classes, oppression of women is closely knitted to other forms of oppression around the world, such as those of age, ethnicity, nationality and sexuality, Ward said.

Some individuals have been more open to the ideas presented by Ward in her classes than others, she said.

“I’ve had classes with a handful of football players in it who, at the beginning of the semester, I could barely get a word out of, but by the conclusion of the semester I could tell that they were more comfortable talking about the topics,” Ward said.

Ward said she is patient with all of her students and allows them to open up and speak about topics within their varying levels of comfort. She is understanding about the fact that everyone has different perspectives and viewpoints on the controversial topics related to genders, and other issues that are discussed in her classes within the women’s and gender studies department, but as long as the students walk away with some new knowledge and awareness of these issues at the end of the semester, she feels as though she has done her job, Ward said.

“I like to live by the words ‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’,” she said, looking at her ring on her finger that is inscribed with the same saying. “Sometimes it’s taking the first step that’s the hardest — life is just a bunch of steps.”

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