Cor Jesu’s young women of today aren’t waiting to make history. They’re already part of it.

Introducing one of the most exciting new courses offered at Cor Jesu Academy: In Our Era: Modern Women’s History. Created and taught by Audrey Lampe Ploesser, a 2006 graduate of Cor Jesu, the course invites students to examine the evolving role of women in society from 1990 to the present.

The course launched during the second semester of the 2024-2025 school year as a special topics elective within the Social Studies department. It quickly became a student favorite thanks to its timely subject matter, dynamic discussions and real-world applications. From Taylor Swift’s cultural dominance to Simone Biles’ and Caitlin Clark’s advocacy for mental health in sports, the class explored the ways women are shaping the zeitgeist in real time.

“I have always been passionate about women’s history,” Ploesser said. “But what really sparked this course was watching how the world responded to powerful women in 2023 and 2024. There was a shift happening, and I wanted to give our students the opportunity to engage with it.”

The course began with a brief historical foundation but quickly moved into present-day topics. Students examined gender equity in the workplace, the wage gap, women in sports, representation in leadership and the layered experiences of women of color and those in marginalized communities. They analyzed data, engaged with academic and media sources and connected their findings to their own lives.

The class also included field trips and guest speakers, helping students apply what they learned in meaningful ways. Highlights included a tour of St. Louis City SC’s stadium, the first majority female-owned team in Major League Soccer, and a visit to Series Six, led by alumna Sami Maurer Baldridge ‘11. Students also heard from alumna Gretchen Mueller Kingma ‘08, who shared her experience building a niche real estate business informed by her occupational therapy background. Conversations with Sr. Clara Johnson, ASCJ via Zoom from Rome and Sr. Karolyn Nunes, FSGM in person, offered thoughtful reflections on women in the Church today.

“Our students asked hard questions and had honest conversations,” Ploesser said. “We all learned so much.”

During Women’s History Month, students took their studies schoolwide. They organized a diaper drive that collected more than 1,500 diapers for the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, spotlighted influential women in art and music and hosted a lively trivia game during lunch to engage the student body.

One of the most powerful conversations occurred during the unit on women in sports. Students explored how uniform regulations affect athletic performance and self-esteem, particularly for young girls. They discussed the alarming statistic that three out of four female athletes have seen teammates quit due to concerns about uniforms. They also examined Olympic standards that require minimal clothing for women in sports like beach volleyball and handball, comparing these to the more modest options available to male athletes.

“The outrage in the room was real,” Ploesser said. “Many of them had felt this in their own athletic experiences but had never put words to it. It opened their eyes.”

Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Several called it their favorite class they had taken at Cor Jesu. One student shared that it inspired her to consider studying gender studies in college. Others said they appreciated having a space to talk about what it means to be a woman today and how they can make a difference.

The course will be offered again in Spring 2026, with hopes of becoming a permanent part of the curriculum and potentially earning college credit through Saint Louis University.

“This class reminds students that they do not need to shrink themselves for others,” Ploesser said. “They can be bold, kind, generous and faithful while using their voice for good.”

At Cor Jesu, this course is a powerful reminder that today’s students are not just learning history, they are already helping shape it.