English professor named as director of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Program

In fall 2020, Simone Chess (associate professor) was appointed as Director of the Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Program at WSU.

Professor Chess has published widely on early modern queer, trans, and disability studies, and she was also named as one of the inaugural Wayne State Champions of Diversity in 2018. As these accomplishments suggest, Professor Chess brings a deep personal and professional commitment to the causes of diversity, equity, social justice, and community building.

Furthermore, she is a talented administrator who previously served as associate chair of the Department of English. In her first year as director of GSW, she oversaw a wide variety of cutting-edge programming for students even in the midst of a pandemic, and she successfully created the newly approved queer studies minor.

Congratulations to Professor Chess!