(This article includes excerpts from Rice Thresher’s Lauren Yu)
March marks Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on and celebrate the significant contributions women have made to American history. This month serves as an opportunity to honor the groundbreaking achievements of women, both past and present.
Rice University joins this celebration by highlighting a few of the trailblazing women who have shaped Rice and influenced the world around them during Rice’s early years.
1912: Nellie Mills, Rice’s first female matriculant
Many may not realize that when Rice Institute (now Rice University) was founded in 1912, it was a coeducational institution. However, the first undergraduate class still predominantly consisted of men. Among the handful of women enrolled was Nellie Mills, who made history as the first woman to matriculate at Rice. Her journey paved the way for future generations of women at the university, as chronicled in Rice’s Digital Scholarship Archive.
1950: Katherine Fischer Drew, the first female faculty member
Katherine Fischer Drew, a Houston native, began her studies at Rice Institute at just 16 years old. After earning her degree in history in 1944, she worked in the university’s registrar’s office before continuing her education at Rice for her master’s degree and Cornell University for her doctorate, according to the Woodson Research Center.
Drew’s return to Rice from Cornell was historic — she became the university’s first female faculty member. Starting as an associate professor in the history and political science departments, Drew would go on to chair the history department for a decade and serve as the dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. In addition to her administrative roles, Drew was a faculty associate at Jones College, the university’s first residential college for women, and later at Will Rice College.
Drew retired in 1996 after an illustrious career at Rice spanning six decades.
1965: Jacqueline Elizabeth McCauley, Rice’s first Black female undergraduate
In 1965, Jacqueline Elizabeth “Jackie” McCauley made history as the first Black woman to enroll in Rice’s undergraduate program, according to Rice News. At the time, Rice Institute had only admitted white students. However, McCauley’s determination to integrate the historically all-white institution was unwavering. The first Black student in Texas to become a National Merit Scholar, McCauley chose Rice over other universities specifically to challenge the racial barriers of the time.
Although McCauley initially pursued a career in the sciences, she eventually switched her focus to the social sciences. She was an active member of Jones College, where she was involved in organizations such as the Young Democrats and Rice Players. Her dedication to community service was reflected in her work with Volunteers in Service to America, though she ultimately left Rice during her sophomore year.
Despite her early departure, McCauley’s legacy at Rice is significant — she helped lay the groundwork for a more diverse student body and inspired future generations of Black students to pursue higher education at Rice.
Origins of Women's History Month
Women’s History Month as we know it today originated as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28, which authorized the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982, as “Women’s History Week.” The movement gained further momentum over the next several years with Congress designating a week in March as Women’s History Week through joint resolutions.
In 1987, following a petition from the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9, which extended the celebration to the entire month of March. Between 1988 and 1994, additional resolutions solidified March as Women’s History Month. Since 1995, each president has issued annual proclamations recognizing the contributions of women throughout American history and celebrating their achievements across various fields.