Colleen Melody, who taught GWSS 310: Women and the Law in Spring 2024, has been appointed to the Washington State Supreme Court. Her path reflects the deep, long-lasting connections that define GWSS: Melody first encountered GWSS 310 as an undergraduate, when she took the course with longtime instructor Pat Novotny. Melody has described that class as a turning point, shaping both her intellectual commitments and her future in the law.
When Melody returned years later to teach the class herself, she was leading Attorney General's Office Wing Luke Civil Rights Division. Her real-world experience offered students an exceptional opportunity to engage with feminist legal analysis in practice—one of the many ways GWSS faculty cultivate mentoring relationships that follow students well beyond their time on campus.
Melody’s appointment continues a long tradition of GWSS faculty and alumni who carry feminist thinking, advocacy, and organizing into their chosen professions, demonstrating how the connections forged within the department meaningfully shape careers and communities well beyond it.