Renata Forste, BYU sociology professor and current international vice president, shared her unique perspective on the evolution of women’s studies at Brigham Young University during a recent colloquium.
As she prepares for retirement, Forste reflected on her 48-year journey at BYU, from her arrival as a freshman in 1978 to her leadership in developing the Global Women’s Studies program.
Forste earned her B.A. and M.S. in sociology from BYU and her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago.
She began her academic career as an assistant professor at Western Washington University before joining BYU’s sociology faculty in 1995.
Throughout the years, she has served as the associate dean of the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences, the department chair of the sociology program, the director of the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies and the associate international vice president.
Her research has focused on maternal and child health, family formation and the role of maternal education in improving the well-being of children, particularly in Latin America.
Forste has played a pivotal role in shaping women’s studies at BYU.
She helped initiate the Global Women’s Studies Program and guided its growth out of the Women’s Research Institute in 2010-11.
During the colloquium, Forste traced the program’s history alongside her personal experiences at BYU.
She highlighted the cultural landscape of campus in the 1970s and 1980s, including dress codes that initially required women to wear dresses or skirts and traditions such as candlelight ceremonies emphasizing marriage.
She also recalled how women students were often disparaged through BYU coed jokes, reflecting a broader societal undervaluing of women’s contributions.
She explained that these jokes circulating on campus in the 1970s depicted women students in dismissive and stereotypical ways, portraying them as overweight, unlikely to date or marry and not academically serious.
She used these examples to illustrate the cultural attitudes women faced when she was a student.
“Title IX was huge — not just for sports, but for educational opportunities as well,” Forste noted, emphasizing how federal regulations helped create new scholarship and academic opportunities for women.
She also shared how BYU students and faculty worked intentionally to preserve and redesign the women’s studies program, balancing cultural change with structural reforms.
Carol Lynn Pearson, she mentioned, was instrumental in helping create these cultural changes.
Forste shared six lessons learned throughout her career, emphasizing the importance of strategy, collaboration, and patience:
- Build relationships of trust; legitimacy is key. To hire and support more women, earn credentials and establish credibility.
- Learn how the system works and work within it to promote change.
- Change will come; it takes time and timing matters.
- Cultural change precedes structural change. Be a part of that cultural change.
- Group effort creates greater buy-in; as Forste said, “I could not have done any of these proposals without everyone’s help.”
- Be willing to compromise.
“The future of global women’s studies is up to you,” she told students, urging them to take ownership of the program’s direction and to use their learning to make meaningful change.
Students attending the colloquium expressed enthusiasm about Forste’s talk.
“It’s inspiring, but also a lot of pressure. It motivates you to do your best and be the change you want to see,” Kenna Hunter, a student attendee, said.
Hunter also highlighted the significance of the program’s global aspect.
“Intersectional feminism is very important to me because if I’m struggling, there are women out there who are at an even greater disadvantage," she said. "Learning about global women’s experiences helps me understand how I can use my privilege to help others.”
Another student, Natalie Giuliacci, reflected on Forste’s encouragement to view students as the future of global women’s studies.
Giuliacci stated, “I definitely want to see more cultural change, especially at BYU, to be more inclusive … more open-mindedness and more accepting of people.”
Forste also recounted stories illustrating the impact of women’s studies.
When asked by Rob McFarland, a BYU German professor, about the biggest changes she’s seen, she described a male student who initially took a women’s studies class just to fulfill a requirement.
By the end of the course, he developed a broader perspective on cultural issues, completed an internship, and helped a medical organization rethink its structure to better address gender concerns.
Throughout the discussion, Forste emphasized humility and service as guiding principles for students and leaders alike.
“Whatever you choose to do, use your talents and abilities to touch other people’s lives in a context of humility,” she said.
She believes that humility, combined with trust, legitimacy and knowledge of the system, allows for meaningful, lasting impact.
In honor of Forste’s contributions, BYU recently announced the inaugural Renata Forste Award, which will recognize student papers in STEM or the social sciences.
As she reflected on decades of teaching, research and leadership, Forste’s message to students was clear: through intentional learning, collaboration and humility, they have the power to shape programs, influence culture and create meaningful change both on campus and globally.