New RWRC directors bring ‘hot girl walks’ to campus

By Bella Pacheco     10/1/24 11:19pm

With new initiatives like “Hot Girl Walks,” menstrual cups and the revival of a gender-focused zine, the Rice Women’s Resource Center’s new directors say they’re making sure Rice’s women feel supported on campus. 

Co-directors Sophia Plumb and Vedha Penmetcha were instated in a special election last April after allegations that the previous directors did not follow updated election procedures.

“The RWRC has enormous potential to do even more for our community by expanding its reach and offering even bigger and better opportunities to students,” Plumb, a Baker College senior, said. “I wanted to plan bigger and better events, increase collaboration with external organizations and strengthen our presence in the community.”

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Like Plumb, Penmetcha, a Sid Richardson College senior, said she wants to host more events and expand RWRC’s resources.

“I’m excited about having more collaborative large-scale events this year, as well as the return of some old events as well,” Penmetcha said. “We’re planning to potentially host an open mic event where students can showcase themselves. I’m really excited to incorporate more wellbeing initiatives like offering mental health first aid training and building more relations with the SAFE and Wellbeing offices on campus.”

This fall, the RWRC began holding weekly “Hot Girl Walks” at 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday. Each week, the wellness coordinators invite women to meet at the RWRC for a 45-minute walk through campus, with small breaks at spots like the James Turrell Skyspace and the Betty and Jacob Friedman Holistic Garden. 

“The purpose is just to kind of get outside, meet some new people and take a brain break,” Helen Citino, one of the center’s wellness coordinators, said. Citino, a Jones College sophomore, spearheaded the “Hot Girl Walks” initiative. “It’s fun because new people show up every time. That’s what’s exciting for me, because I get to see a lot of new faces and talk to different women across campus.” 

Beyond the hot girl walks, the RWRC now offers menstrual cups — flexible, reusable period products — and is reviving its magazine, which hasn’t been printed since 2022.   The zine — previously named “Engender” —  showcases student artwork themed around femininity and gender. By promoting student artwork frequently, Penmetcha said she hopes to increase the RWRC’s connection with the broader student body. 

“By facilitating more cross-talk across coordinator teams and encouraging their amazing ideas, I truly want to increase awareness about the RWRC because of the enormous amount of potential the center has in terms of reaching students and offering a supportive environment,” Penmetcha said.

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