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Pioneering Women

Alma Katherine Ledig WG’31 the first woman to earn a Wharton MBA

Image of Alma Katherine Ledig WG '31 1931 Alma Katherine Ledig WG'31 becomes the first woman to earn a Wharton MBA, ten years after first MBA class was enrolled in 1921. She completed a 139-page thesis entitled “Training of Salespeople for Ready-to-Wear Departments” Wharton’s First Alumna: A Champion of Inclusive Education Go back to Wharton Women
May 9, 2023   |   Pioneering Women

Hettie Simmons Love WG’47 is one of the first African Americans to earn an MBA from The Wharton School

Image of Hettie Simmons Love WG '47 1947 Hettie Simmons Love WG'47 is one of the first African Americans to earn an MBA from The Wharton School. While at Wharton, she was the only Black student and one of only two women in her class. Hettie was awarded a special Penn Pioneer certificate from Dean James in…Read More
May 9, 2023   |   Pioneering Women

Erika H. James becomes the first woman to serve as dean

Image of Erika H. James 2020 Erika H. James becomes the first woman to serve as dean in Wharton’s 139-year history. She is also the first person of color appointed dean in Wharton’s history. Go back to Wharton Women
July 27, 2022   |   Pioneering Women

1954 – The first 15 women are admitted to the Wharton undergraduate program

Image of women studying 1954 The first 15 women are admitted to the Wharton undergraduate program. Wharton was the third college at Penn to admit women behind the School of Nursing and the College of Arts and Sciences. Go back to Wharton Women
July 27, 2022   |   Pioneering Women

Jean Andrus Crockett was the first female department chair at Wharton

Image of Jean Andrus Crockett 1954 Jean Andrus Crockett was the first female department chair at Wharton, the first woman to lead the Penn Faculty Senate, and the first woman to chair the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. In 1989, she received the University’s Distinguished Faculty Award for “pioneering all-University leadership and for dedication to…Read More
July 27, 2022   |   Pioneering Women

Professor Dorothy Swain Thomas is Wharton’s first female professor

Image of Professor Dorothy Swain Thomas 1948 Professor Dorothy Swain Thomas becomes Wharton’s first female professor, appointed as a research professor of sociology. Dr. Thomas often wrote about demography, population redistribution, and economic growth, and served as research director of the U.S Population Studies Center. She served for 11 years. Go back to Wharton Women
July 27, 2022   |   Pioneering Women
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