Women at ODU: Builders of Communities and Dreams -- WHM 2006

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Because of the hard work of many women in the 1970s and continuing into the 1980s, more opportunities and challenges were available to women. There have been many incredible women at ODU. With every "first," a door was opened for others to enter and fulfill their own dreams. While these women inspire us because they were "first," it is important to acknowledge the many other women who made things happen and inspired others from behind the scene -- assistants, secretaries, technicians, and the wives of former presidents.

Here, we recognize a few of the more visible and inspiring women in ODU's history.

	Margaret (Maggi) L. Curry-Williams Appointed in 1976 to newly-created Director of Affirmative Action position Served as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Vice-President for Student Services, Associate Dean of Students The Division of Student Services established the Maggi Curry-Williams Quiet Influence award in her honor Article: Mace and Crown, Sept. 6, 1976
	Betty Diener First female dean, 1979 Second female dean of accredited school of business in the country. Article: Mace and Crown, June 4, 1979
	Dorothy Doumar First female rector of the Board of Visitors, 1978 Served on the Board of Visitors, 1972-1983 Photo from Brydges, p.227 showing the 1994 reunion of former rectors
	Jo Ann Gora First female provost, 1992-2001 First woman to serve as president for doctoral-granting school in Virginia: In 1995, she was acting president in Dr. Koch's absence. Photo from Brydges, p.95
	Wendy Hildreth Named first female athletic business manager, 1974. Article: Mace and Crown
	Ruth Jones Head of Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity, 1981-1998 Article: Mace and Crown, Sept. 15, 1975
	Kay Kemper First female vice president (University Relations), 1992-1996 Photo from Brydges, p.95
	Karen Polonko First ODU faculty member to win the Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council on Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), 1991 Named Virginia Professor of the Year by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), 1993 Several other ODU women have received the Outstanding Faculty award since 1991: Michele Darby (1993), Nancy Bazin (1994), Helen Rountree (1995), Dana Heller (1997), Christine Drake (1999), Janet Peery (2002), Sheri Reynolds (2003), Katharine Kersey and Cynthia Jones (2005), and Sharon Raver-Lampman (2006). Cynthia Jones also received the Virginia Professor of the Year award (2004). Article: Courier, April 5, 1991
	Roseann Runte First female president of the University, 2001-present Photo from Brydges, p.217
	Samantha Salvia First Rhodes Scholar at Old Dominion University, 1995 As a field hockey player, she was an Academic All-American and was named to the College Field Hockey Coaches Association All-American squad. Photo from Brydges, p.227
	Anne Raymond Savage Faculty, 1971-2004 and "Mother of TELETECHNET" Director of Center for Instruction Development, 1978 Director of Academic Television Services and Center for Instructional Services, 1984 Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, 1990-1999 National University Administrator Award, 1998 ODU Administrator of the Year Award, 1999 Vice Provost of Distance Learning, 2001 Article: Unews, February 16, 1979, p.2
	Karen Scherberger Elected first female student body president, 1976 Jane Warriner was the first female president of the Student Senate, 1946 Article: Mace and Crown, April 12, 1976
	Margaret Simmons First African-American student to earn a degree (M.A. English), 1966 Photo from Brydges, p. 83
	Lucy Wilson 1975-1995 Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs Associate Vice-President for Student Services Associate Dean for the College of Education Article: Mace and Crown
	Helen Yura Faculty, 1979-1988 (Eminent Scholar) Hired to head the new Master's Program in Nursing, 1979 ODU's Epsilon Chi Sponsored the Helen Yura-Petro Lectureship, which focuses on nursing research The Helen Yura Award for Excellence in Nursing is available to graduate students at ODU Article: Courier, Feb. 28, 1980
	Afroz Zaman First full-time female faculty member in the College of Engineering, 1983 Article: Courier, Feb. 25, 1983
	Fay Zetlin First artist-in-residence at ODU Worked on Norfolk's Diggs Park Playground and Green's Market project Article: Mace and Crown
	Marla Ziegler First female Assistant Dean at ODU, 1980 (Arts & Letters)