Women at Stevens: Through the Years

1907

Enid May Hawkins Hired as Stevens First Librarian Enid May Hawkins is hired as the university's first professional librarian. Under her direction, Hawkins helped change the Library’s reputation from “a dingy old den” to the “central nervous system for research and study on campus,” according to a 1948 article in The Stute.

1938

Graduate Courses Offered to Women For the first time, women take graduate classes at Stevens.

1942

Women Admitted into the War Industries Training School Women admitted into the War Industries Training School at Stevens, a federal program that provided accelerated education for those entering the fields of science and engineering.

1947

Emmi Fischl Becomes First Woman Professor Emmi Fischl became the first woman professor at Stevens. Fischl taught in the Department of Physics.

1949

Beatrice Hicks Awarded Graduate Degree Beatrice Hicks (co-founder and first president of the Society of Women Engineers), graduates from Stevens with a M.S. degree.

1971

First Women Students Admitted to Stevens Stevens admits the first 19 women undergraduates and officially incorporates coeducation at Stevens.

1974

Linda Vollkommer-Lynch Hon. M.Eng. ’04 Becomes the First Woman to Coach Athletics at Stevens

1974

Fencing Becomes the First Women’s Varsity Sport at Stevens Led by coach Linda Vollkommer-Lynch, fencing became the first women's varsity sport at Stevens. Linda continues to coach women's fencing today.

1974

Lenore Schupak Becomes First Woman to Receive Undergraduate Degree Lenore Schupak became the first woman to earn an undergraduate degree from Stevens. Lenore was among the first 18 women admitted to the university in 1971 and completed her studies in just three years.

1975

Malena Higuera '75 Becomes First Latin-American Woman to Graduate A Hoboken High School graduate, Malena Higuera '75 was the university’s first Latin-American woman to graduate from Stevens.

1976

Society of Women Engineers Chapter Established Established in the spring of 1976 with 19 members, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) officially chartered the following fall with 30 members – almost the entire female student body.

1978

Sheila Banks '78 Becomes the First African-American Woman to Graduate

1982

First Sorority Established on Campus Delta Zeta chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority is established at Stevens.

1999

Lore-El Center for Women’s Leadership is Dedicated Lore-El Center for Women’s Leadership is dedicated in honor of Lore E. Feiler.

2009

Dr. Lisa Dolling Named Dean of the College of Arts and Letters

2013

Virginia Ruesterholz ‘83 Becomes First Woman Chair of the Board of Trustees

2015

Gladys Njoku '16 Places First in the High Jump at NCAA Championships

2017

Dr. Jean Zu Named First Woman Dean at Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering & Science Dr. Jean Zu becomes first woman dean of the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering & Science.

2021

Stevens Launches a Celebration to Honor 50 Years of Women At Stevens