School of Social Transformation celebrates first grads from online gender studies master's program
Photo by ASU
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2025 graduates.
Two years ago, the School of Social Transformation rolled out the Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies (GWSS) online MA degree to provide a more accessible format to students. Now, the students participating in that degree are getting ready to graduate this May and have shared the highlights of their experience in the program.
We interviewed four of the graduates: Lyndsay Patrone, Amber Landin, Brian Castillo-Murillo and Bea Wright.
Editor’s note: Answers have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Question: What inspired you to pursue a GWSS online degree?
Patrone: I almost attended the University of Vermont for social work, but it just did not work with my work schedule or life at the time. I then found the GWSS online program at ASU and contacted someone immediately because I knew it would be more accommodating to my hectic schedule.
Q: How has ASU Online helped you achieve your academic goals?
Landin: The past five years, I have endured variations of being unhoused, so I have not been able to attend campus like I wanted and dreamed. My academic experience is what has kept me driven, passionate and unwavering.
Castillo-Murillo: ASU Online has helped me so much; my whole ASU student experience has been online, allowing me to continue my education while working full time.
Q: What are your career aspirations, and how do you plan on using your degree?
Wright: I don’t plan on using my degree, I am using my degree and have been since I enrolled at ASU. That’s the incredible thing about this online course. I changed the way a company with over 300 employees implements DEI practices through an investment in feminist methods. My goal is to continue to use what I have learned to make every space, personal or professional, safe and equitable for everyone.
Patrone: My goal was to work for the National Guard doing sexual assault response coordination and care. Unfortunately, I was notified today that these positions are under a hiring freeze. Depending on how things go with the current political climate, this is still a main goal because advocacy work for survivors, especially in a male-dominated field such as the military, is very important.
Q: What advice would you give to incoming GWSS online students?
Wright: Connect your communities to your feminist action, or your hobbies with issues presented in your learnings. You are the connection between what you experience and what you are influenced by, and that is only strengthened through the care you put into your work.
Castillo-Murillo: Don’t stress too much about deciding what subject to explore in your dissertation; it will come to you naturally! Also, rely on the faculty and staff since they are so supportive and want to ensure you have a positive experience within the program.
Landin: I wholeheartedly encourage new GWSS online students to choose to unlearn first. And be ready for the most amazing life experiences where your hopes and dreams will take shape throughout the program.
Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?
Patrone: I would not be able to just pick one! I would love to tackle issues around food accessibility and food justice, which also relates to the climate crisis, eco-feminism, gender, racism and labor rights. I would also be interested in recreating a health care system that is women-centered, where women are believed and not discriminated against, while also having appropriate access to contraceptive care.
Wright: I probably would invest in alleviating homelessness for the Los Angeles communities, especially those impacted by the Eaton fires in Altadena, California, home to a historic Black neighborhood greatly impacted by the natural disaster we faced this year.
Castillo-Murillo: I’d use the funds to support coral restoration projects, fund research on climate change's impact on marine life and raise awareness about protecting our oceans. It may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but a healthy reef means a healthier world for all of us.
Landin: I would spread it around to all the grassroots (the most basic foundations of activism) organizations and individuals working hard today across the country to give voice to the voiceless so that they may be heard as well.
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Lyndsay Patrone
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Amber Landin
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Brian Castillo-Murillo
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Bea Wright
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