UW WOMEN AT 150
A Woman’s Place is at UW: Celebrating 150 Years of Women Grads
May 2019 marks the 150th anniversary of the awarding of bachelor’s degrees to women at UW-Madison.
4W on WSUM 91.7 FM!
Listen to our 4W team discuss the 150th anniversary of women graduates from UW and all the exciting events we have planned! Thanks to Interim Dean of Students Argyle Wade and WSUM for inviting us to speak.
UW WOMEN AT 150 STORIES
Over the course of this academic year, University Communications will feature stories that celebrate the accomplishments of women at UW–Madison through the decades and recognize the challenges that remain.
2019 Senior Class Gift Reveal
The 2019 Senior Class Gift was unveiled on May 6th and is called "The Monarch". The statue celebrates the 150th anniversary of women receiving degrees at UW–Madison and was designed by artist Victoria Reed.
Initiated in 2019 to mark the 150th anniversary of the awarding of bachelor’s degrees to women at UW, the In Her Honor Fund celebrates lives marked by scholarly achievement and public legacy, as well as extraordinary lives devoted to family and community. Gifts will be used to support campus programs that make life better for women and the world better for all.
Participation in In Her Honor is a two-step process. First, please make your gift and designation. Then, please share a story about your honoree (optional). These stories will be archived and you will hear from the In Her Honor program before they are ready to be shared with the UW-Madison community.
Watch the Senior Class Office announce the 2019 Senior Class Gift
Our Leadership
Our Leadership Circle
The 4W Leadership Circle is a collective of leaders from a range of fields, working to make life better for women and make the world better for all.
Our Projects
Featured News & Events
UW Women at 150
Celebrating 150 years since first women got undergraduate degrees.
Nursing pioneer Signe Skott Cooper: From the farm to the battlefield
Cooper devoted more than 60 years to nursing education at UW–Madison and within the UW System. Her wartime service shaped her life, personally and professionally.
UW Women at 150: Looking for — and finding — Lorraine Hansberry
While many people know “A Raisin in the Sun,” far fewer know much about its author, Lorraine Hansberry. Hansberry spent less than two years as a student at UW–Madison, but it was an important part …
Breaking ground with Grace
Grace Wahba, who retired in August, was the first female faculty member in the Department of Statistics at UW–Madison. Her work centered on the extraction of information from large data sets, particularly in the medical …
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International Women’s Day 2019: Better The Balance, Better The World
Sponsored by the 4W Initiative and AFRICaide. This International Women’s Day Annual Event celebrates women from all walks of life, highlights and reflects on the work of those who have been engaged in improving conditions …
2019 4W Summit on Women, Gender, and Wellbeing
FOURTH ANNUAL 4W SUMMIT ON WOMEN, GENDER AND WELL-BEING AND 42ND WISCONSIN WOMEN AND GENDER STUDIES CONFERENCE APRIL 11-13, 2019 PYLE CENTER, MADISON, WI Join us for the 2019 4W Summit on Women, Gender and …
International Education Lecture from Circle of Sisterhood Founder Ginny Carroll
November, 11 2018 Education in Developing Countries The importance of providing education to women in developing countries and what we can do to help. A talk with Ginny Carroll Founder of Circle of Sisterhood
4W STREETS OF HOPE II:Human Trafficking in the Context of Migration
4W was honored to host a film screening and discussion of Irioweniasi: El Hilo de la Luna (The Thread of the Moon) as part of the 4W STREETS of Hope II Forum on Human Trafficking …
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4W Conveners: Engaging Our Campus
Rebecca Blank, PhD
Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-Madison
“The School of Human Ecology, the Global Health Institute and the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies have created 4W with a strong partnership that brings together top researchers from many fields to focus on one central question: How do we harness the power of scientific knowledge to improve the lives of women around the world? This program can have a deep and lasting impact on women, their families and their communities. And by creating international leadership and service learning opportunities for our students, 4W will inspire a new generation of scholars dedicated to women’s health and well-being.”
Soyeon Shim, PhD
Dean, School of Human Ecology, UW-Madison
“When women suffer, everyone suffers – men, children, communities and families. The challenges facing women in Wisconsin and around the globe are multifaceted, thorny, and stubborn. Big problems need big thinkers. The 4W Initiative brings together alumni, students, innovators, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and communities to find answers where none exist, and to do so with empathy. That’s why I am proud to be part of this initiative, and excited about the future.”
Jonathan Patz, MD, MPH
Director, Global Health Institute, UW-Madison
“Women hold the key to health at home, in their communities, across their nations, and around the globe.”
Aili Tripp
Chair, Department of Gender & Women’s Studies, UW-Madison
“Gender and Women’s studies scholars are engaged in gender analysis to better understand how women the world over are striving to improve their livelihoods, health, education, role in politics, and other concerns. The 4W Initiative allows for collaborative synergies across campus and beyond around these issues.”