Iota Iota Iota

The Phi Chapter of TRIOTA is the UNK Women’s & Gender Studies Honor Society. Its purpose is to encourage and support scholarship in WGS and to empower students of any sex, gender, race, orientation, status and ability. It promotes awareness of gender-related issues on campus and in the community, and it fosters activism and advocacy.

TRIOTA members are UNK students who have a WGS minor or who have a strong interest in WGS issues. They should complete at least 3 hours of WGS courses and maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher in WGS courses.

TRIOTA students truly are difference makers. In the past year, TRIOTA has been involved in everything from community service projects, summer camps, sexual assault awareness events, and tabling events. Our dedicated students are always looking for new members to help with these endeavors!

Sexual Assault Awareness Month: TRIOTA Members hold an annual Clothesline Project, in the month of April. Our campus community is asked to write notes of encouragement to survivors of sexual assault throughout the week, with notes displayed on the final day of the project.

No Limits Conference: Every year TRIOTA members attend and (some) present at the No Limits, Women and Gender Studies Academic Conference. Hosted by the University of Nebraska campuses, the No Limits Conference is a great way to be active in research, meet new people, and learn new things!

Community-Based Service Learning: The Period Poverty Project. Launched in the Spring of 2024, the Period Poverty Project created a way for UNK students to actively get involved in bettering our campus community. With financial support from the Loper Pantry and a generous donation from Access Period of Omaha, TRIOTA, WGES, and the Sociology Department were able to place baskets filled with feminine hygiene products in 11 buildings across the UNK campus. TRIOTA members and additional student volunteers stock the bathrooms weekly, with approximately 800 products stocked every month. Our reason? You know that friend you look to in a menstruation emergency, “You wouldn’t happen to have a spare tampon or pad in your backpack, would you?”—that’s us!

TRIOTA meetings and events are held regularly during the academic year. Officers are elected annually and serve 1-year terms. To get involved, sign up online or contact the Faculty Advisor, Dr. Sandra Loughrin, at loughrins2@unk.edu

TRIOTA Constitution: The Phi Chapter of Triota adopted a constitution in Spring 2004 and amended it in Fall 2021 to clarify officer responsibilities, the election process, and membership criteria. This society is affiliated with a national network of WGS student clubs coordinated by Metro State College in Denver, Colorado. Metro State started the first group, the Alpha Chapter, in 1992, and it serves as the national coordinator for chapter assignations, constitutions, and by-laws.