Carita Robertson
Carita Robertson joined the Physical Education Department in 1925 and later became head of the department. Carita helped sponsor the first Big Ten swim meet for women in 1930. In 1932, she facilitated the design of a basketball floor plan for women.
Florence Bell Robinson
Florence Bell Robinson joined the Department of Landscape Architecture in 1929. She was an instructor known for "breaking the tenure barrier" in co-educational Schools of Landscape Architecture. After seventeen years of teaching, Florence achieved the rank of Assistant Professor in 1946. In 1951, she achieved the rank of Full Professor before she retired.
Irna Phillips
Irna Phillips graduated in 1923 from the University of Illinois and was the first alumnae to receive the Alumni Achievement Award. Irna is known as the "mother of the soap opera" after creating the popular TV shows, As the World Turns and The Guiding Light. She helped develop several other popular soap operas as well.
Louise Dunbar
Louise Dunbar graduated with a PhD in History in 1920. That same year, she joined the History faculty at a time when there were few female faculty members on campus. Louise was influential on campus, especially in the History Department. She retired in 1962, having taught for over 40 years.
Louise Woodroofe
TLouise Woodroofe attended the University of Illinois from 1913-1917 before transferring to Syracuse to complete her undergraduate education. She returned to U of I in 1920 as an instructor to teach freehand drawing in the Architecture Department. In 1928, Louise was promoted to Assistant Professor, and in 1948, she was promoted to a full Professor of Art. In 1978, she was voted the "Most Supportive Faculty Member" at the University. Louise was an accomplished artist who exhibited at the 32nd Annual Exhibition of American Art at the Cincinnati Art Museum in 1925, and she was given one-woman exhibitions at the Findley Gallery in Chicago. After her death in 1996, her former students, colleagues, and friends established the Louise M. Woodroofe Prize, which is awarded annually at the University of Illinois to recognize an architecture student based on his or her body of artistic work. Louise also lent advice to her former student and Assembly Hall designer, Max Abramovitz, in the configuration of the original Assembly Hall (now the State Farm Center). Foreseeing a circus in the space, Louise recommended an entry door at the base that would be wide enough for circus animals and equipment and an apparatus on the ceiling for connecting a trapeze features that Abramovitz incorporated into his design.
Maria Leonard
Maria Leonard joined the University’s Administration in 1923. She was appointed Dean of Women and remained on campus until 1945. She founded Alpha Lambda Delta in 1924 originally an honorary society to recognize academic excellence among freshmen women. A year earlier, Dean Thomas Arkle Clark had founded its male counterpart Phi Eta Sigma. In the mid-1970s, both organizations became co-educational. Maria was a strong advocate for female students during her time as Dean of Women and brought many advancements in their favor to the campus.
Pauline Chiang
Pauline Chiang became a student in the College of Commerce in 1922 and was the very first female Chinese student to come to the University. While a student, she was involved in several campus organizations, including the Woman’s Club. In particular, Pauline was involved in a movement within the club that advocated for Native American welfare, and she spoke on this topic several times.
Virginia Bartow
Virginia Bartow graduated in 1921 with a Master’s degree and received a Ph.D. in 1923 both in Chemistry. Virginia began teaching at the University of Illinois in 1925 as an instructor. By 1939, she was promoted to an Assistant Professor and then to Associate Professor in 1955. In 1976, Virginia was awarded an honorary membership in Sigma Delta Epsilon, the professional society for graduate women in science. Virginia is a prime example of the inequity in faculty promotions between men and women, and was one of the first women to be promoted.