In September 1972, the first women enrolled at the College of the Holy Cross, lighting the way for generations to follow, women who would advance to create lives of personal and professional impact across all vocations across the globe, inspired by the foundation of a Jesuit, Catholic liberal arts education.
Beginning in September 2022 and continuing through May 2024 (the 50th anniversary of the first women graduates), The College will recognize, reflect on and celebrate the impact of Holy Cross women.
A 50th Anniversary of Coeducation Celebration weekend is being planned for April 5-6, 2024. We look forward to gathering on campus for this special event.
Upcoming Events
Please make plans to join us!
September 19 | 4:30 p.m.| Rehm Library, Smith Hall
In the 1840s, Dr. Marion Sims’ experiments on the enslaved women Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey in Montgomery, Alabama led him to be called the “Father of Gynecology.” Today Black women are almost three times as likely to die during or shortly after pregnancy than are white women, regardless of income or education level, and the majority of Black Americans live in states with strict abortion bans. How has the history of systemic racism and sexism shaped Black women’s reproductive health? How can we remove barriers to equal care?
September 26 | 4:30 p.m. | Rehm Library, Smith Hall
How, when, and why did women in the US obtain legal rights equal to men’s, decades after they gained the right to vote? Of the 144 critical moments in women’s rights history from 1905 to 2023, almost half occurred between 1963 and 1973. Claudia Goldin, Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University, explains how a substantial group of women emerged in the late 1970s to oppose various rights for women and to champion a different vision for women. They remain a powerful force today.
October 27-28 | Holy Cross Campus
Women and men of the classes of ’74, ’75 and ‘76 are invited to reconnect, remember, and reflect on the first days of coeducation. The weekend will feature social events, panel discussions and opportunities for participants to revisit the experiences and the campus where their spirit, commitment, contributions, and sacrifices made enduring friendships and created the foundation for the Holy Cross of today.
When you reflect upon your time at Holy Cross, is there someone special you would like to thank? Here's a chance to share a note for the person who inspired you most—and we'll pass the message along!
Share your memories!
Join in the celebration by sharing your favorite memories of your time on Mount St. James. Email us at coeducation@holycross.edu
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Holy Cross held its first Coeducation Day was held Dec. 12, 1967, a little less than five years before women enrolled full time.
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The women of Hanselman III as pictured in the 1976 Purple Patcher.
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The 1975-1976 women's crew team.
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Beaven Hall residents enjoy a cookout social in spring 1975.
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A pre-100 Days Banquet cocktail party in Hanselman.
Learn More
| And Thus Entered Women: The Beginnings of Co-Education at Holy Cross from 1967-1976 Online exhibit, Holy Cross Archives and Distinctive Collections |
Inside the Early Years of Coeducation at the College of the Holy Cross Holy Cross Magazine, Fall 2022 |
| Coeducation at Holy Cross | Celebrating 50 Years of Title IX |
| Interactive timeline Holy Cross Archives and Distinctive Collections |
Holy Cross to Retire 5 Women’s Basketball Jerseys |
| Lighting the Way: 50 Years of Women at Holy Cross Office of the President |
Holy Cross Celebrates Coeducation Anniversary with Women of Faith Speaker Series |