Women in Learning and Leadership, or WILL, is offered as both a student-led organization and academic program at Brookdale. The organization seeks to empower young women and students, raising leaders in the community. After graduation, students take the newfound skills and experiences and apply them to the endeavors they face.
“Being a witness to so many individuals who shared their passions and turned their passions into wonderful projects is incredibly inspiring and has made me realize the capabilities that I have and can have,” said 20-year-old Angela Giamos.”WILL at Brookdale also has shaped me in understanding that work does not stop within the two years of attending Brookdale. The fight for women is a lifelong dedication and one that I am willing to do, especially when there are so many great women and others to do it with.” Giamos recently graduated from Brookdale and is currently pursuing a degree in psychology with a marketing minor.
“I became involved with WILL totally by chance. I took Jane Scimeca’s Women’s History course my first semester at Brookdale because it sounded interesting and it filled a requirement. At the same time I was taking Roseanne Alvarez’s English 206 course. At the end of that semester, Jane mentioned WILL and that Roseanne was the head of the program and that her women’s history course fulfilled one of three required courses for the academic certificate,” said Jackie Romano, a 24-year-old English and woman and gender studies major. “Roseanne then mentioned at the end of her course that her Humn-129 course fulfills another course requirement for the program. At the beginning of the following semester, Roseanne sent out a memo about the first meeting of the semester, and I was in!”
In Spring 2022, the group tackled many topics, including menstrual toxic shock syndrome and the lack of menstrual products in restrooms across campus. Coordinating with The Innovation Network on this project, the group won a Gold Star at the event celebrated in April.
“My best experience at Brookdale’s WILL is a very difficult question. I have so many favorites. But I’ll have to say the Gold Stars awards. The feeling of being recognized and appreciated for the work we did as a club really was a fantastic way to wrap up my time at Brookdale,” Romano said. Reflecting on the WILL academic program, she added “a close runner up though were the courses I completed for the academic certificate. Everyone should take Hist-125 and Hum-129, they’re two of the most important (but really THE most important) courses offered at Brookdale, in my opinion.”
“I feel like WILL has made me realize my own voice. It was always a safe space for me to feel encouraged to talk about my opinions and thoughts in general, and I started to feel like my own person in WILL. I think that’s translated super well into my personal life. I don’t feel afraid to defend myself or to speak up for myself anymore,” said Linda Truong, a 19-year-old psychology major.
Truong, Romano, and Giamos have all continued participating in Women in Learning and Leadership after transferring. While it is only their first semester at their new University, the group was eager to join.
“Looking at what WILL at Brookdale accomplished, I could not help myself but want to watch and continue that drive when I transferred. I knew that I wanted to be part of something that was and is so special, and that I could contribute to that. Especially knowing that there are issues in the world that need the help of so many, I just wanted to do my part and continue the fight, and I felt like continuing WILL again is the right direction to go,” Giamos said.
“I continued to join WILL because I wanted to start my new experience at TCNJ with a community I would belong in. I think it would also be nice to share my experiences from Brookdale into TCNJ’s WILL. Maybe even have a possible collaboration in the future!” Truong said. “Also, if I had to pick anywhere I would want to make friends on campus, it would probably be in a group of open-minded people who value diversity and empowerment, which is basically WILL in a nutshell.”
“The best experience that I have had at WILL in Brookdale is, all of it. As cliché as that may sound, I really valued every moment that I got to spend with everyone, and it made me feel proud to be a part of something so wonderful. That, to me, is the best experience of them all,” said Giamos. “At TCNJ’s WILL, I am still in the learning process about what drives the club and what issues are at their forefront, but I love that there is a sense of community and belonging that reflects what was at Brookdale’s WILL. I am looking forward to continuing to grow and learn with the other members that I have yet to know and will know!”
“The support system that is WILL is one of the best parts of it. It’s a group of like-minded individuals, who all care about the same things I do and are just as passionate and willing to initiate change in any way we can,” Romano said. “As far as experiences at TCNJ’s WILL, I don’t have much experience yet, but the outlook is great so far. The members seem really friendly and welcoming, and I’m very excited to get started. Also, their organizer, Cecilia Colbeth, and I are actually going to work together to find a way to bring Brookdale’s and TCNJ’s WILL together, in order to make transitioning between the two smoother for anyone who does so. So I guess what I’m looking forward to is kind of just throwing myself into it.”
As the graduates continue their journey of empowerment, Brookdale’s WILL continues their journey to empower. The group meets at 7 p.m. every Thursday via Zoom. If you are interested in joining WILL, please follow them on Instagram @willbcc or visit:

WILL: Women in Learning and Leadership