Under the Arcade: a new initiative for a new semester. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. / Photo by Francis Tatem
No-Cost Necessities: Saint Mary’s College Now Offers Free Menstrual Products Throughout Campus
The student-led initiative rolled out at the beginning of this semester. It was proposed by Regina Molitoris ’26, President of Associated Students, as a vital step toward advancing equity that benefits “a majority of the student population.”
As of this semester, Saint Mary’s College offers free menstrual hygiene products in female and gender-neutral restrooms throughout campus. It is a critical step in the College’s commitment to advancing the diversity, equity, and inclusivity of the campus community.
Regina Molitoris ’26, President of Associated Students—the Saint Mary’s student government—first proposed the initiative in February 2024. Associated Students began officially rolling it out this fall semester. “I am so excited to help implement this initiative on campus,” says Jennifer Herzog, Executive Director of Student Activities and Involvement.
Herzog’s department and others—including the Center for Women and Gender Equity and the Student Health Center—are partnering with Associated Students to help fund the initiative. The products are simple, universal, and refillable: Students simply need to scan a QR code to have them replenished.
Molitoris was a student senator when she proposed the idea back in February. “Menstrual products are not a luxury but a necessity,” she wrote in her proposal, and making them available to would “affect a majority of the student population.” Indeed, according to the most recent data, nearly two-thirds of the student body identify as female.
With the initiative now in place, Molitoris has been overwhelmed by the positive response. “Honestly, I thought people would appreciate it, but I wasn't expecting it to be this big,” she says. “It makes me very pleased that we were able to offer something so concrete that resonates with everyone.”
As a Politics and Economics double major, Molitoris also says it has been gratifying to go from drafting a proposal to enacting tangible change. “It’s really opened my eyes as to how much Associate Students can do,” she says. “It’s also got me thinking about how, in the future, I could possibly make an impact in other communities.”
