Women’s History Month Exhibit

Dr. Amanda Sanford Hickey

First female graduate from the University of Michigan, earning her degree in medicine

1871

Alice Freeman Palmer

First woman to receive an honorary degree from the University of Michigan, a Doctorate of Philosophy

1882

June Rose Colby

First woman to earn a PhD from the University of Michigan, receiving a Doctorate in Literature

1885

Dr. Ida Kahn

One of the first two Chinese students admitted to the University of Michigan

1892

Mary Stone / Meiyii Shei

One of the first two Chinese students admitted to the University of Michigan

1892

Dr. Eliza Maria Mosher

First recognized female professor and first Dean of Women at the University of Michigan

1896

Women’s Athletic Association

Students create the first Women’s Athletic Association at the University of Michigan

1905

Martha Cook Residence Hall

One of the first two dormitories for female students at the University of Michigan

1915

Helen Newberry Residence Hall

One of the first two dormitories for female students at the University of Michigan

1915

The Barbour Scholars

A scholarship established by Regent Levi Barbour in 1917 for young women from Asia and the Middle East

1924

Wu Yi-Fang

U-M graduate and Barbour Scholar who became the first female college president in China

1928

Esther M. Cram

The first woman on the University of Michigan Board of Regents

1929

E. K. Janaki Ammal

U-M graduate who became the first woman in the country to earn a doctorate degree in Botany

1931

Ann B. Davis

Graduated with a theater degree from U-M and went on to play the iconic Alice character on The Brady Bunch

1948

Rhoda Reddig

First female Dean at University of Michigan after becoming Dean of Nursing

1955

Michigan Marching Band

The marching band started admitting women

1972

Kathy Kozachenko

U-M graduate and first openly gay elected official in the U.S. after being voted into the Ann Arbor City Council

1974

Jessica Rickert

U-M graduate who earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and became the First Native American woman dentist in the U.S.

1975

Nellie Varner

First African American woman elected to the University’s Board of Regents

1980

Blenda WIlson

First African American woman to become executive officer at U-M as Chancellor of U-M Dearborn

1988

Dr. Antonia Novello

U-M graduate to become the first female and also the first Hispanic Surgeon General in the United States

1990