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Merchant moves into new role with zeal

Niloufer Merchant, professor of Educational Leadership and Community Psychology, is the interim director of the Women’s Center for the 2002-2003 academic year.

Becoming the interim director of the Women’s Center is part of a natural progression for Niloufer Merchant, Educational Leadership and Community Psychology. Her involvement with multicultural and gender issues has connected her with the Women’s Center for many years.

Merchant said, “It’s great. I get to participate in things I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. I embraced a feminist philosophy in my teaching and clinical work.” She referred to the issues dealing with race, culture,
gender and class that she covers in her classes and points to the connection between them and her work at the Women’s Center, where she deals with these issues directly through programming and interacting with students
outside of the classroom setting.

Though her family is originally from India, Merchant was born in Yemen. She attended school in India and came to the U.S. in 1983 to get her second master’s from the University of Wisconsin—Whitewater. She went on to receive her doctorate from the University of Cincinnati.

Before going to college, Merchant explained, she had made a deal with her father. He wanted her to become a medical doctor and she wanted to become a psychologist. They decided she would try pre-med for a year and if she didn’t like that, then she could study psychology. Merchant found that pre-med wasn’t for her and turned to psychology. She smiled and said, “Eventually, I did become a doctor; I just did it my own way.”

Balancing her time between teaching and directing has been a challenge Merchant has tackled head-on. “At first, I wondered how I was going to be able to do it,” she said. “But now switching between my roles as a professor and a director has become easier. I’ve accepted that I can’t do everything in both places, but I can still stay very involved.”

Merchant notes that the ELCP department has helped her with the transition by being very supportive, and the Women’s Center is also very good about recognizing her time limitations. She also remarked, “Dean Joane McKay and Vice-President of Student Life and Development Nathan Church have worked very well together to help me make the transition.”

“My schedule is very full and hectic, but it helps me if I remember this commitment is only for a year and how much it will enhance my teaching, counseling, and campus and community work,” Merchant said.

Merchant’s main goal at the Women’s Center is to do her best during her interim appointment, making sure the current programs continue as well as staying active in developing new programs by providing leadership. She brings a different perspective to the center as she has a great interest in multicultural issues and diversity on campus. One of her foci will be on how the Women’s Center can serve a diverse student body and meet student needs.

Merchant also mentioned the importance of collaboration, “The university needs cross-disciplinary work; team teaching and working with other colleges can open up many other possibilities for students.” She finds herself collaborating with Student Life and Development, and faculty across campus in addressing issues and problem solving. Merchant’s position at the Women’s Center provides a broader venue for her emphasis on social justice issues.

“There is much potential for collaboration between departments on campus and the community,” Merhant said. “An opportunity such as this fosters the much needed connections and partnerships.”

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