There’s always a first — and in honour of International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating some of the incredible U of A women who blazed trails, set new courses, and who still inspire us today. In no way is this an exhaustive list, but it’s a start.
Chelsea Benally is using her expertise to improve the environment while sharing her experience to encourage others to create and follow their own paths to success.
Although she would finish her studies at the University of Toronto, Esther Marjorie Hill’s journey to become Canada’s first female architecture grad began at the U of A.
Born and raised in Alberta, Violet King made history when she became the first person to graduate with a U of A Law degree, the first black person admitted to the Alberta Bar, and Canada’s first female Black lawyer.
In addition to being the university of Alberta’s first female medical graduate, Leone McGregor Hellstedt has also been immortalized in Jesse Arden’s play, Leone.
Decima Eveline Robinson held a seat as one of the first U of A students — ever, and was the very first person to graduate from the U of A with a Bachelor of Science.
A history changing suffragette, when she joined the Department of Classics in 1913 as an assistant professor, Geneva Misener became the first female academic at the University of Alberta.
In 1974, Professor Emerita Patricia Prestwich recognized the need for women’s stories to be told, and was the first faculty member to create courses highlighting the history of women.
A leading voice in the world of higher education, Indira Samarasekera represented the U of A on the global stage for a decade, serving as the university’s first female president.