About the Project

The Work Wise project began in the fall semester of 2023 as part of Women's and Gender Studies Senior Capstone course. 

We were interested in creating a space where individuals with a criminal background could access all the information they would need to successfully get back into the workforce. The website we created contains tips and resources on everything from what to do before you get hired to once you get the position, as well as the rights that you have as an employee.

We partnered with Passages, a women’s pre-release facility that serves women from both the state and federal prisons in Billings, MT. We spoke to the director and their employment placement specialist about what services they provide for women reentering the workforce, and what additional support would be beneficial. 

Although Work Wise emerged from those conversations, it is our hope that this site will be useful not just for anyone reentering the workforce with a criminal background, but for anyone who might benefit from readily accessible, easily understandable, high-quality information about all aspects of employment.

About the Creators

arendt picture

Dr. Emily Arendt

Chair, Department of History
Dr. Emily Arendt is Chair of the Department of History at MSU Billings and the instructor of WGSS 499. 

paiton's cat

Paiton Graham

Student, MSUB
Paiton Graham is a junior at MSUB. She has been studying political science and have recently added women’s and gender studies as a minor. She's always been fascinated by both modern and historical political issues, and most specifically women’s rights issues, which lead her to add women’s and gender studies as her minor.

Ashley picture

Ashley Hanser

Student, MSUB
Ashley Hanser is currently preparing to graduate with a Bachelors degree in history with a focus on English literature and women’s studies. She’s passionate about entering the legal field with a frame work of intersection female experiences

will's cat

William Hurtt

Student, MSUB
William (he/him) majored in history and minored in gender studies at MSU Billings. He likes cats, books, and would like long walks on the beach if there were any in Montana, so instead chooses to sleep at any available moment. 

105x130

Amanda Rouse

Student, MSUB
Amanda Rouse, a member of the team who created the website Work Wise, is a senior here at Montana State University Billings. Though she is going to law school in the fall of 2024, for many years she was in the hospitality industry, and was unlawfully fired from a bar for infractions that never happened. This action generated an obsession about workers’ rights, which she used in helping with the creation of this website.

105x130

Troy S.

Student, MSUB
Troy is a fourth-year student at MSU Billings. His pronouns are he/him. He's one of the creators of Work Wise. As a person with a less-than-favorable background, he has found having resources and advocates to be helpful, and this has inspired his approach in assisting with this website.

105x130

Jess Thole

Student, MSUB
Jess is currently a senior at MSUB. She aims to pursue a degree in museum studies and art history, focusing on women’s impact in and on the art world.

jo head shot

Jo Zapata-Brown

Student, MSUB
Jo (she/her) is a history major and gender studies minor at MSUB. Born and raised in Big Sky country, she is passionate about making her home state as livable as possible for Montana families. She loves reading, exploring the outdoors, and making a quality cappuccino.