Towson University is the only institution in the Baltimore area with a chapter of The Red Tent Foundation.
When the Baltimore-based Red Tent Foundation reached out to Towson University student groups last year, senior Kathleen McAdam had never heard of an organization like it before. So, the psychology and women and gender studies major jumped at the chance to bring the empowerment group for college women to campus.
“There’s nowhere else women can go and just talk about this stuff with other women,” McAdam says.
During meetings, McAdam says that members discuss topics in a relaxed environment. Since becoming an official group in March, the group has held discussions on body image, relationships, friendship, stress, anxiety and sexual assault. And while McAdam starts each meeting with a few questions, she says the participants shape the discussions.
“What other women take away from the group has been the most rewarding,” McAdam said. “You get to meet a lot of new people. You get to talk about a lot of things that aren’t really discussed in our society that we deal with every day.”
Towson is the only institution in the Baltimore area with a chapter, but McAdam, who is on the national foundation’s board, is hoping to expand the Red Tent Foundation to other area universities.
This year, Towson’s chapter is focusing on gaining more members. McAdam hopes that with enough involvement, the group will be able to host an event in the spring.
The Red Tent Foundation’s discussions take place in the Psychology Building every other Monday at 4 p.m. with the next meeting scheduled for October 12. To learn more, contact McAdam at kmcada2@students.towson.edu.
