While many colleges and universities across the United States did not begin accepting women as students until well into the 20th century, the University of Denver has been a co-educational institution since shortly after DU first opened its doors in 1864. The university did not begin actively seeking female students until the early 1880s, but during the period between 1884 and 1899, women constituted over a quarter of all of DU’s graduates.
DU saw its first female graduate in 1886, when Helen Fuller Officer graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Officer was one of only two people in her graduating class and attended classes at DU’s original downtown campus.
During her time at DU, Officer was involved in a literary and musical club called the Alcyone Society and then went on to attend the New England Conservatory of Music after her graduation.
One year later, in 1887, Eleanor Lawney became the first woman to graduate from a Colorado medical institution as a graduate of DU’s College of Medicine. After her graduation, Lawney served as president on the State Board of Charities and Corrections and worked at Denver Children’s Hospital.
In 1900, Emma Azalia Hackley, the first African American woman to graduate from DU, received her degree in music. Hackley was relatively well known as a singer, teacher, conductor and composer in the music industry throughout her life. She was also involved in women’s suffrage and racial equality efforts and founded the Colored Women’s League in Denver.
Other notable alumnae throughout DU’s history include Rebecca Ann Dreman, named Miss America in 1974, Home Depot CEO Carol Tomé, silver and bronze Olympic figure skating medalist Michelle Kwan and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The Colorado Women’s College merged with the University of Denver in 1982. Originally founded in 1888 and still operating today, the Colorado Women’s College offers classes during the day, evening, weekend and online for women seeking higher education.
The Colorado Women’s College identifies itself as an institution dedicated to the empowerment of women, and those who graduate from the Women’s College receive a degree from the University of Denver.
Today, DU continues to make strides in furthering the empowerment of women. This year DU hosted its 19th annual University of Denver Women’s Conference, a group of students revived the Undergraduate Women’s Council, DU’s first ever all-female a cappella group, First Edition, was formed and a new sorority Chi Omega colonized on campus.
A new athletic field was also recently named in honor of Diane Wendt, who was named the first Director of Women’s Athletics at DU in 1974. Throughout her career, Wendt was a constant advocate for gender equity in athletics and founded the University of Denver Gender Equity Task Force. She received a number of awards for her service and dedication to women in athletics and is the namesake of a newly endowed scholarship fund that provides opportunities to DU’s student-athletes.
Of DU’s first 100 students to graduate, 26 were women. Today, female students make up 54 percent of DU’s total undergraduate population. As time goes on, women continue to make significant accomplishments as students of DU, and these women will continue to write DU’s history in the years to come.
