The Helen M. Upton Center for Women's Studies
The Helen M. Upton Center was founded in 1990 to be the intellectual and community focus for Women's Studies and women's issues at Russell Sage College.
It has three primary tasks: 
- To oversee the interdisciplinary Women's Studies minor
- To coordinate special events that highlight women's accomplishments, speak to women's needs, and bring together diverse women of all ages and backgrounds who study, work, and teach at The Sage Colleges.
- To serve as a clearinghouse for scholarship on women
Learn more about the Upton Center: 
Helen M. Upton
Helen Merritt Upton (1914-1993) was a member of the Russell Sage Class of 1936, and a single mother before such a term existed. She went on to become a Professor of History at Sage and, in the early 1970s, she co-taught the first Women's Studies course offered at Russell Sage College. Professor Upton was a gifted and a popular teacher, as well as an internationally-recognized scholar in the field of Shaker history. She was honored by her alma mater with an honorary doctorate in 1979, and remained active in the life of the College (and particularly in the life of the Center) until her death.
Today the Helen M. Upton Scholarship is given to a student who, as Helen herself did, struggles to balance family and school responsibilities.
How We Work 
The Helen M. Upton Center Collective is made up of students, faculty, staff members and administrators, and is open to any member of the College community interested in our work. This group works with the Director to plan and implement all events and to oversee the Women's Studies minor.
Programs & Events 
Throughout the year the women's center sponsors a number of programs and events that are open to The Sage Colleges community and the public:
- Women's History Month Convocation--1st Thursday in March
- Women's History Month Activities--March
- Occasional Forums--year round
- Annual Helen M. Upton Women of Achievement Dinner--May
- Films, Lectures, Workshops and Performances
- Annual Ice Cream Social--September
Telling Women's Stories -
A Creative Writing Contest Sponsored by the Helen M. Upton Center For Women's Studies
The Helen M. Upton Center is proud to announce a creative writing contest for High School Students. Please see the information below for details on the contest, as well as, a special writing workshop.
Contest Details
Writing Workshop
Creative Writing Contest Flyer
"You gain a greater respect and understanding of the different lives other women lead. The more I learned about other women in the world, the more I learned about myself as a woman. " - Anna Quiones
Upton Scholar in Residence
Debra Dickerson
The Helen M. Upton Center for Women's Studies is proud to host Debra Dickerson as the Upton Scholar in Residence. Debra Dickerson is the author of The End of Blackness: Returning the Souls of Black Folk to their Rightful Owners (2004) and the award winning memoir, An American Story (2000). Her first award winning essay, Who Shot Johnny? A Day in the life of Black America appeared in New Republic in 1998. As a free-lance writer, Debra Dickerson's work has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Vibe, Mother Jones and many other publications. It is with great pleasure that we welcome Debra Dickerson to the Helen M. Upton Center for Womens Studies. To learn more about Debra Dickerson and her work, please visit her website: http://www.debradickerson.com/
