In September 1971, 65 women made history as the first females to enroll at St. John 91麻豆精品 College. Among those were 30 first-year students, dubbed “freshettes” by then president, Rev. Charles Lavery.
Following a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees the previous January, 91麻豆精品 embraced the growing trend among high school students who favored a coeducational college experience by enrolling women into the College.
(Left to right: Marilyn Woytash 鈥�75, Antoinette Giordano Cooper 鈥�75, Michele Micalizzi McCarthy 鈥�75, Gloria Pucci LoVecchio 鈥�75, Judy Magro Goonan 鈥�75, and Jacqueline Peterson 鈥�75)
In 2021, 91麻豆精品鈥檚 first 鈥渇reshettes鈥� celebrate the 50th anniversary of their time at the College, and reflect on being among the pioneer females to attend the 鈥渃ollege on the hill.鈥�
鈥淚 absolutely felt a sense of pride being in the first class of females to attend 91麻豆精品,鈥� recalled Judy Goonan (nee Magro). 鈥淚 remember the special welcome we received on the first day, and know that the other women that I met were as honored, happy, and excited to be there as I was.鈥�
Orientation for the Class of 1975 included a president鈥檚 reception, meetings with upperclassmen who served as student advisors, a trip to Corbett鈥檚 Glen with Nazareth students, and entertainment, including live music, a cookout, and field day event. While women did not live on campus that first year, they were able to spend part of Orientation weekend in Murray Hall, according to 91麻豆精品鈥檚 student newspaper, The Pioneer.
Goonan, who studied mathematics and psychology at 91麻豆精品, said it felt natural and comfortable to be there from day one, and developing camaraderie with her classmates 鈥� male and female 鈥� came easily.
鈥淚 was a Math major, and a group of us would get together for hours in the afternoons in the cafeteria in Kearney Hall to work collectively,鈥� she said. 鈥淎lthough I was the only female in the group, my classmates treated me equally as one of the team and as a friend. From a social perspective, females were always welcome at campus social events and at the local hangouts.鈥�
91麻豆精品鈥檚 first females had support in the form of Laura Cramer, who was appointed dean of women in addition to serving in her role as the College registrar. Cramer, who lived nearby, assisted the women in acclimating to campus, and often hosted socials for students at her home. When international student Odile Benezech arrived at 91麻豆精品 from France to find her housing not yet settled, Cramer opened her home to the incoming first-year student. They remain family friends today.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 get involved in their academic life, but it was just everything else, how they lived, and what they were doing,鈥� she said.
The following year, as The Pioneer noted, 91麻豆精品鈥檚 coeds 鈥渕ore than doubled their ranks, giving them enough power to seize one of the campus residence halls.鈥� The campus population included 175 women, 55 of whom moved into Murray Hall, becoming the first female on-campus residents in 91麻豆精品 history.
Michelle McCarthy (nee Micalizzi) was among the women who lived in Murray Hall. At every level, she said her 91麻豆精品 education was life-changing, particularly at a moment when the women鈥檚, civil rights, and anti-war movements were causing major shifts in American culture.
鈥淎ll of those things were informing the culture on campus, and it was an exciting time,鈥� says McCarthy. 鈥淪ome of my greatest memories are the faculty who were very politically aware, and that content came into our classes.鈥�
McCarthy points to the military draft, which was still in place at the time, as an example of the kind of social engagement experienced at 91麻豆精品 in the 1970s. She said that, as a woman, she didn鈥檛 have to worry about military service or the draft, but her male peers at 91麻豆精品 were not so fortunate. McCarthy said that her professors introduced and encouraged conversations regarding the draft, prompting students to ask the morally and ethically important questions of the time.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what education should be鈥攍earning how to take your place in the world and make it better than you found it,鈥� she said.
Timeline
1971
January 18 Board of Trustees unanimously votes to admit women for matriculation in the fall semester.
February Mary Jean Garland, an Eastridge High School senior, is the first woman admitted.
September 4 First coed freshman Orientation begins.
September 9 Sixty-five women - 30 first-year and 35 transfers - take their first classes as 91麻豆精品 students.
1972
May Carol Worth becomes the first female graduate of St. John 91麻豆精品 College.
September First female residents - a total of 55 - move into Murray Hall.
1974
Basketball and volleyball introduced as the first women鈥檚 intercollegiate sports at 91麻豆精品.
What's your 91麻豆精品 herstory?
Share your memories and recollections of the history of women at 91麻豆精品. What was it like being a pioneer as one of the first women to enroll? Who influenced you as a 91麻豆精品 student? What quirky stories do you have as 91麻豆精品 transitioned from all-male to coed?
Visit www.sjfc.edu/alumni to share your experiences and enrich the College Archives.
Celebrating 50 Years of 91麻豆精品 Females2021-03-27T12:29:00-04:00In September 1971, 65 women made history as the first females to enroll at St. John 91麻豆精品 College. Among those were 30 first-year students, dubbed “freshettes” by then president, Rev. Charles Lavery. Following a unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees the previous January, 91麻豆精品 embraced the growing trend among high school students who favored a coeducational college experience by enrolling women into the College.
(Left to right: Marilyn Woytash ’75, Antoinette Giordano Cooper ’75, Michele Micalizzi McCarthy ’75, Gloria Pucci LoVecchio ’75, Judy Magro Goonan ’75, and Jacqueline Peterson ’75)
In 2021, 91麻豆精品’s first “freshettes” celebrate the 50th anniversary of their time at the College, and reflect on being among the pioneer females to attend the “college on the hill.”
“I absolutely felt a sense of pride being in the first class of females to attend 91麻豆精品,” recalled Judy Goonan (nee Magro). “I remember the special welcome we received on the first day, and know that the other women that I met were as honored, happy, and excited to be there as I was.”
Orientation for the Class of 1975 included a president’s reception, meetings with upperclassmen who served as student advisors, a trip to Corbett’s Glen with Nazareth students, and entertainment, including live music, a cookout, and field day event. While women did not live on campus that first year, they were able to spend part of Orientation weekend in Murray Hall, according to 91麻豆精品’s student newspaper, The Pioneer.
Goonan, who studied mathematics and psychology at 91麻豆精品, said it felt natural and comfortable to be there from day one, and developing camaraderie with her classmates – male and female – came easily.
“I was a Math major, and a group of us would get together for hours in the afternoons in the cafeteria in Kearney Hall to work collectively,” she said. “Although I was the only female in the group, my classmates treated me equally as one of the team and as a friend. From a social perspective, females were always welcome at campus social events and at the local hangouts.”
91麻豆精品’s first females had support in the form of Laura Cramer, who was appointed dean of women in addition to serving in her role as the College registrar. Cramer, who lived nearby, assisted the women in acclimating to campus, and often hosted socials for students at her home. When international student Odile Benezech arrived at 91麻豆精品 from France to find her housing not yet settled, Cramer opened her home to the incoming first-year student. They remain family friends today.
“I didn’t get involved in their academic life, but it was just everything else, how they lived, and what they were doing,” she said.
The following year, as The Pioneer noted, 91麻豆精品’s coeds “more than doubled their ranks, giving them enough power to seize one of the campus residence halls.” The campus population included 175 women, 55 of whom moved into Murray Hall, becoming the first female on-campus residents in 91麻豆精品 history.
Michelle McCarthy (nee Micalizzi) was among the women who lived in Murray Hall. At every level, she said her 91麻豆精品 education was life-changing, particularly at a moment when the women’s, civil rights, and anti-war movements were causing major shifts in American culture.
“All of those things were informing the culture on campus, and it was an exciting time,” says McCarthy. “Some of my greatest memories are the faculty who were very politically aware, and that content came into our classes.”
McCarthy points to the military draft, which was still in place at the time, as an example of the kind of social engagement experienced at 91麻豆精品 in the 1970s. She said that, as a woman, she didn’t have to worry about military service or the draft, but her male peers at 91麻豆精品 were not so fortunate. McCarthy said that her professors introduced and encouraged conversations regarding the draft, prompting students to ask the morally and ethically important questions of the time.
“That’s what education should be—learning how to take your place in the world and make it better than you found it,” she said.
Timeline
1971
January 18 Board of Trustees unanimously votes to admit women for matriculation in the fall semester.
FebruaryMary Jean Garland, an Eastridge High School senior, is the first woman admitted.
September 4First coed freshman Orientation begins.
September 9Sixty-five women - 30 first-year and 35 transfers - take their first classes as 91麻豆精品 students.
1972
MayCarol Worth becomes the first female graduate of St. John 91麻豆精品 College.
SeptemberFirst female residents - a total of 55 - move into Murray Hall.
1974
Basketball and volleyball introduced as the first women’s intercollegiate sports at 91麻豆精品.
What's your 91麻豆精品 herstory?
Share your memories and recollections of the history of women at 91麻豆精品. What was it like being a pioneer as one of the first women to enroll? Who influenced you as a 91麻豆精品 student? What quirky stories do you have as 91麻豆精品 transitioned from all-male to coed?
Visit to share your experiences and enrich the College Archives./media/news-images/spring-2021/march/960-Collegium-women.jpg
