The Margaret Sloss Center for Women and Gender Equity

The Margaret Sloss Center for Women and Gender Equity is a place for you on campus.

Located inside the historic Sloss House, the Sloss Center operates as a place for students to take a breath. Our programming center issues historically considered women’s issues, but we know that gender equity issues affect all students. Isolation, parenting and family stressors, poverty, and violence can impact any student. The Sloss Center is, and has always been, open to any ISU student.

Sloss is located on central campus between Gerdin and Curtiss Hall.

Connection to community and creativity
Support around pregnancy, parenting, and caregiving
Resources to meet basic needs like food, diapers, and hygiene supplies
Help with past or current trauma, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault

Programs and Events

The Sloss Center offers programming to explore, celebrate, connect, and create.

We also welcome emerging program ideas. Contact us with your proposal!

The Sloss House

The Sloss House is for everybody which means every body.

We want you to feel at ease in the space so please reach out to us with any accessibility needs.

Here is what you can expect at Sloss:

The main entrance has a ramp and a manual door that opens in. There is an exterior doorbell if any assistance is needed with the door.

All rooms on the main floor are accessible including a full kitchen, bathroom, and the Sloss Resource Room with a satellite location of the SHOP. There is a living room with couch seating and a front room with comfortable seats and a children's play area. The furniture can be moved and reconfigured based on space needs.

The back door, second-floor offices and second-floor bathroom are reachable only by stairs. Because of this, all events are held on the main floor and all services are available on the main floor. This includes meetings with staff, information, and resources.

Meet Dr. Margaret Wragg Sloss

The Sloss House and Sloss Center are both named after Dr. Margaret Wragg Sloss, the first woman to graduate with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1938. Dr. Sloss was a champion for women’s rights, breaking barriers, and advocating for changing the admissions policy at the veterinary school to allow admission to women.

Learn more about Dr. Sloss

The Resource Room

Items from the Sloss Resource Room are available through our partners while the Sloss House is closed for renovations.

The Sloss Resource Room was launched in the Spring of 2023 to help address growing student needs around food security, personal care, and hygiene items as well as support for student parents. The Resource Room has a satellite location of The SHOP, Iowa State's student run food pantry with shelf stable food items. Through our work with donors, Sloss has a special focus on spices and culturally relevant foods as well as non-food items like menstruation supplies, diapers and wipes, safer sex supplies, and other items that support wellness of body and mind--like beautiful books donated by our local bookstore. You can also contact the Sloss Center to make an appointment outside of regular hours.

Learn More

The Margaret Sloss Center for Women and Gender Equity