Building a Peace-Driven Campus: WILPF’s Upcoming University of Arizona Chapter

By Gloria McMillan, DISARM/End Wars Committee member and Shelby Young, Greater Phoenix WILPF branch member

WILPF members Gloria McMillan and Shelby Young hosted a Halloween event at the University of Arizona, during which they told students haunted stories of the Jane Addams Hull-House. Photo submitted by Shelby Young.

Starting a WILPF branch on a college campus takes time, trust, and patience—and this year, we’ve made progress toward planting deep roots at the University of Arizona (U of A). Over the past academic year, our efforts have focused on building relationships, listening to students, and navigating the structural challenges that come with starting a new group. This process has given us a stronger foundation than we could have hoped for. 

WILPF members Gloria McMillan, Shelby Young, and Emily Ricketts connected with University of Arizona professors for a walking for peace event. Photo submitted by Shelby Young.

One of our biggest wins has been securing support from university faculty and staff. Several professors across departments have expressed interest in advising and supporting our work, offering not only moral support but also help navigating U of A’s club system and becoming visible on campus. 

We’ve also learned a lot about U of A students. Many are hungry for meaningful, justice-centered activism that doesn’t burn them out. We’ve had dozens of conversations about what peace, freedom, and liberation mean to students today. 

While we have yet to complete all the steps needed to make Campus WILPF an official University of Arizona club, we have completed our launchpad. This year, we hope to take off into official U of A group status! This has been a year of listening, learning, and laying the groundwork for something powerful. Stay tuned for more as we enter the new school year! 

Branching Out Together: Highlights from WILPF US’s All-Branch Trainings

By Shelby Young, WILPF Greater Phoenix branch member and Jan Corderman, WILPF Des Moines branch member

Over the past year, WILPF members from across the country have come together for our all-branch meetings—virtual gatherings designed to strengthen our organizing, recruitment, and community care. Each session tackled a key challenge or opportunity for our branches, from diversifying outreach strategies and making new members feel welcome to supporting our LGBTQ+ community and more.

In one of our most recent sessions, we focused on building three to five person retention and recruitment teams with clearly defined roles—like a partnership coordinator, outreach lead, or welcome host. The idea? Giving people something to do can help bring them back to WILPF’s work and community. As Jan Slagter shared, “This is really helpful, Shelby. In my branch, many folks have been active in WILPF for decades, and they naturally take on roles like coordinating with groups that share our values. A bunch of us have memberships across different organizations, and we lose track of WILPF—it’s just a part of life.”

These monthly Zooms haven’t just delivered practical tools—they’ve created space for joy, reflection, and solidarity across generations and geographies. While we’re taking a break over the summer, I’m offering customized training for branches that want extra support. Whether you’re looking to reconnect with members, expand your network, or bring fresh energy into your organizing, I’m happy to work with you to create a session that fits your needs.

We’ll be back in the fall to keep building stronger, more connected branches. Until then, we’re just a Zoom link away. 

If you have any questions about joining all-branch meetings, please reach out to Shelby Young at shelby@wilpfus.org.