About This Event

Colorado State University Libraries, in collaboration with the Department of English, the Department of Art and Art History, proudly presents Knowing Her: Women’s Work & Leadership at CSU, 1925-2025. This groundbreaking exhibition, organized and produced by Professor Tobi Jacobi and Professor Suzanne Faris and curated by CSU Libraries Exhibition Coordinator Silvia Minguzzi, will be displayed at Morgan’s Grind Gallery in Morgan Library from March 3 to August 15, 2025.

An Opening Reception will be held on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, from 4:00-5:00 PM in the Morgan’s Grind Gallery, Morgan Library.

An adjacent exhibit with additional Knowing Her artwork and writing will be hosted at the Directions Gallery in the Visual Arts Building from March 7 to April 18, 2025, in coordination with Xinran Yuan, Director of Exhibitions and Community Engagement in the Department of Art and Art History.

Knowing Her is a community-driven project that amplifies the narratives of women and non-binary faculty and staff at CSU, exploring themes of leadership, mentorship, and workplace experiences. The exhibition reflects on CSU’s historical gaps and invisibilities to inspire contemporary conversations about gender equity and the future of workplace well-being. This multimodal exhibition integrates art, narrative storytelling, and archival research, addressing two key questions:

• How might uncovering the historical absences of CSU women inspire discussions about contemporary campus climates for women and non-binary faculty and staff?
• How can creative processes represent these conversations and encourage the public to consider future pathways for equity through mentorship and leadership?

Through 2D and 3D artworks crafted from paper, wood, and fabric, the exhibition presents a powerful visual and textual dialogue drawn from archival research, faculty and staff surveys, student interviews, and collaborative writing and art-making sessions. Engaging profiles and narrative snapshots of CSU women will be featured throughout the space alongside multimedia artwork. A CSU Authors book display will highlight books and dissertations by women-identifying faculty and staff.

The exhibition is more than a display—it is an invitation to engage in dialogue about and contribute lived experience on gender equity and professional development in academia. There will also be an opportunity for visitors to recognize important contributions by CSU women on a “Celebrate CSU Women” wall. By showcasing the experiences of women and non-binary employees, Knowing Her encourages reflection on institutional history, present-day realities, and future opportunities for meaningful change. The project was made possible through a College of Liberal Arts “Ann Gill Faculty Development Award for Collaborative Projects,” along with support from CSU Libraries, the Department of English, the Department of Art and Art History, the Blake Center for Engaged Humanities, and the Lilla B. Morgan Memorial Endowment, a premier supporter of arts and culture at CSU. Please help grow this fund with a gift.

This exhibition features a collaboration with Professor Sarah Cooper's E206 Language for Activist Rhetoric and Writing students. Special thanks to the EnCircle Mentoring leadership team, Knowing Her conversation circle participants, and graduate students Mia Kinshasa and David Martinez.

For more information about Knowing Her and upcoming related events, please visit the Libraries website or contact Silvia Minguzzi at silvia.minguzzi@colostate.edu